The hot sauce market has boomed in the UK in recent years – from trendy sriracha to Tabasco, Britons can not get enough of fiery condiments.

In the last year, Tesco sold an extra 2.5 million bottles of the spicy glazes – a rise of almost 20 per cent.

Sales of sriracha, for example, were up by nearly 65 per cent, and those of Encona West Indian pepper sauce – available on supermarket shelves since the 1980s – rose by over 28 per cent last year.

The market is now estimated to be worth more than £200million.

Health experts say that compared to other options on the supermarket shelves, hot sauces are not a bad option.

'Generally, most hot sauces are quite low calorie and a good condiment choice,' says Jessica DeLuise, a US-based specialist in culinary medicine and registered dietician.

'For people who are aiming for weight loss we often talk about "flavour boosters" and hot sauce is a great one – adding a lot of flavour for few calories.

'However, like anything we buy from the supermarket, there will be added ingredients that we should watch out for.'

She warns that people with cardiovascular disease or kidney disease should be mindful of additional salt in these products, while we should all look out for additional sugar.

The culinary medic also advises that for people taking anti-inflammatory medications, steroids or aspirin, hot sauce can also contribute to digestive issues.

Adding a sprinkle of spice to our meals isn't a modern phenomenon – the earliest recorded examples of people adding an extra zhush to their food can be found thousands of years ago.

Historians believe that the the first hot sauce in the world was created by the Aztecs in 7000 BC, who would have ground up chillies and herbs with water. 

Fast forward to 2026, and we're spoilt for choice when it comes to hot sauce. 

We enjoy it on every meal of the day, adding a smattering over fried eggs at breakfast, adding a sprinkle of zing over a salad at lunch time, and going all out at dinner time, drenching every dish imaginable from juicy burgers to delicate oysters.  

Are spicy foods good for health?  

Some studies have suggested that consuming spicy foods may even have a positive impact on health.

A 2021 review of studies involving more than half a million adults found that regular consumption of spicy food was associated with a 12 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a significant reduction in heart-disease mortality compared with people who avoid spice.

While other studies have also shown that spicy foods can also contribute to weight loss.

Studies that have looked at capsaicin supplementation, the active ingredient in chilli, have found that it can reduce calorie consumption by 70 cal a meal.

'I would say that the potential benefits of eating spicy foods are modest if any,' says Ms DeLuise. 

'Hot sauces can also cause digestive problems, and people who have conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bowel disease or acid reflux are particularly vulnerable to this. 

'My advice is to be mindful of what can trigger symptoms and cut it out for two weeks.' 

If you're a certified spice-lover, read on for our experts' take on some of the most popular hot sauces available on British shelves right now... 

Sriracha

Once the mainstay of hipster cafes, the fermented Thai chilli sauce has become a staple on supermarket shelves in recent years.

Health experts say that for some, the rich umami sauce may cause an upset tummy.

'The preservatives used in this sauce may impact digestion for some,' says Ms DeLuise.

'For some people sulphates can aggravate gastro-intestinal issues, especially if sensitive.'

At the same time it is also high in sugar and salt.

A typical serving is also slightly higher than regular hot sauces, meaning a cheeky squeeze will be adding more salt and sugar per meal.

Tingly Ted's Tingly Hot Sauce

Pop star Ed Sheeran – who loves ketchup so much he has a tattoo of a bottle of the red stuff on his arm – has also turned his hand to the hot sauce market, in collaboration with sauce giant Heinz.

His smokey hot sauce has around five calories per serving, which gets a thumbs-up from Ms DeLuise.

She says: 'The one ingredient that stands out in this one though is the smoked sea salt.

'While not necessarily an issue, if it has been made using added smoke flavouring  then that can cause digestive issues for some.'

GQ Jordan, a registered nutritionist, tells the Daily Mail that the sauce is versatile but should be enjoyed in moderation.

She says: 'Calories and fat are low, but the sugar content is noticeable at nearly 6g per 100g, and salt is also on the higher side.

'It sits somewhere between a condiment and a cooking sauce rather than a sharp hot sauce. 

'Fine in small amounts, but it's not something I'd use freely without thinking about portions.'

Cloud23 Sweet Jalapeno Brooklyn Beckham's Hot Sauce

His unexpected Instagram rampage against his family has demonstrated that nepo baby Brooklyn Beckham can be fiery, but he first raised the heat with the launch of his high end hot sauce, Cloud23, in 2024.

However his £15 hot sauce is not one that the experts would recommend.

'The sugar is the standout here. At 24g sugar per 100g, this behaves much more like a sweet chilli sauce than a traditional hot sauce,' says GQ Jordan.

'From a nutrition point of view, that makes it easier to over-consume and adds little beyond sweetness and flavour. It's not a problem with food, but it's one to treat more like a glaze or dip than a background seasoning.'

Tabasco Pepper Sauce (Original Red)

A kitchen cupboard staple for many – Beyonce famously carries a small bottle with her wherever she goes – experts says that the cayenne pepper-based hot sauce is a healthy low calorie option.

At less than one calorie per teaspoon serving, it is low in sugar and doesn't contain any nasty preservatives, making it an easy – and healthy – way to add a punch into a meal.

'People have touted this as a healthier option, and I think that reputation is fair. It's very low in calories and sugar, with a short ingredient list,' says GQ Jordan.

'The main nutritional consideration is salt, but because the flavour is sharp and intense, people tend to use small amounts. 

'As hot sauces go, it's one of the more straightforward options.'

Encona West Indian Original Hot Pepper Sauce

One of Britain's best-loved hot sauces, the West Indian hot pepper sauce may have hidden health benefits according to the experts, and is one of the best options out there.

'One of the benefits of this sauce is that it is made with a chilli mash – there is added fibre from this process,' says Ms DeLuise.

'However, there is added xanthan gum, which can cause digestive issues – something that can be compounded by the chilli in the hot sauce.'

Frank's

Frank's Red Hot buffalo sauce is a good hot sauce option according to the experts.

'Frank's Red Hot are great hot sauce options because they are made from simple vinegar and spices, making them particularly low calorie, but full of flavor,' says GQ Jordan.

'But can be high in sodium, however, so be mindful of your intake if you have heart health concerns.'

Lao Gan Ma

The Chinese crispy chilli oil has dramatically increased in popularity in recent years, with record numbers of bottles sold in 2025.

However, with a recommended serving of 30 grams, six times higher than the average hot sauce, there are 190 calories in the oil.

Experts warn that this is not a healthy choice when looking to add flavour to a meal.

'This is an oil-based sauce, that is predominantly soya bean oil,' says Ms DeLuise.

'This is a vegetable oil that is high in saturated fats, and we should be mindful of how much of this we are consuming.

'Where possible we should be looking for unsaturated fats like in olive oil. So I would limit consumption of this where possible.'

Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce

Experts warn that this popular dipping sauce is packed with sugar.

At around 30 calories per ten gram serving and five grams of sugar, this is not one of the healthier options on the list.

'This is essentially a sugar syrup with chilli added. With around 55 grams of sugar per 100 grams, it's firmly in the sweet sauce category rather than a hot sauce,' says GQ Jordan.

'Nutritionally, this is the one most likely to stack calories and encourage overuse. It works as an occasional dip, but it's not something I'd class as a low-impact condiment.'

Nando's Peri Peri

The high street fast food chain is also a leader of the pack when it comes to hot sauces, with a range of different spice levels.

The standard, medium spice level sauce from Nando's has around 20 calories in a tablespoon serving.

GQ Jordan says: 'This is fairly balanced for a flavoured chilli sauce. Sugar is low, calories are modest, and the ingredients list is reasonable.

'Salt is higher, so portion size matters, but overall it sits somewhere between Tabasco and sweeter chilli sauces. 

'For most people, it's a perfectly workable everyday option if not used excessively.'

Psycho Juice Habanero Hot Sauce

This one is not for the faint-hearted. On the Scoville scale – the measure of how spicy food is – Psycho Juice comes in at 580,000, about 100 times hotter than a jalapeno.

A sauce so hot that it comes with a disclaimer on the bottle, ‘WARNING: EXTREME HEAT. USE WITH CAUTION – You may experience pain. Do not panic.’

While this is a low calorie option, experts warn that super hot sauces can cause a host of health problems.

'For some of these really extreme hot sauces, there have been cases of cardiac arrhythmia, severe vomiting and dehydration,' says Ms DeLuise.

'If you are someone that suffers from high blood pressure, then I would avoid these types of sauces.'