Sandwich Magic: Substituting Guacamole From Mayonnaise

Guac vs. Mayo

For as long as I can remember, mayo has been a staple ingredient is my sandwiches. I tried to switch to mustered a couple times and other sandwich spread, but I always come back to mayo since nothing compared to the taste.

Panera Bread and other sandwich shops started offering fresh avocado on some of their sandwiches.

I absolutely love avocado, and while it was absolutely delicious, it was unpractical for me to do at home.

Avocados can be expensive and not available all year. They also take extra time to ripen, peel, and the cost per sandwich really adds up.

The magic of Costco

The idea that changed my sandwiches forever was sparked while I was walking down the aisles of Costco!

There I was in the refrigerated cheese and spread section when I saw single-serving packages of guacamole.

A light bulb when off, and I figured if I loved avocado on my sandwiches, then guacamole might also taste good.

Single serving packets of guacamole where convenient, easy to spread, lower cost than avocados, and you can buy them in bulk at Costco for even more savings! Not only that, but it was a much healthier alternative to mayo!

In fact, studies have shown that eating an avocado a day can help reduce bad cholesterol (among other health benefits).

Is Guacamole healthier than Mayonnaise?

It's a commonly known fact that mayo is basically just full of fat and virtually no other vitamins, minerals, of nutritional benefits.

If you take a look at the nutritional label of a Heinz jar of mayo 1 serving (1 tablespoon) has about 99 calories and 10.7 grams of total fat, which is 16% of the total recommended daily value.

The ingredients in mayo often include:

soybean oil, water, whole eggs, and egg yolks, distilled vinegar, salt, sugar, lemon juice concentrate, calcium disodium edta (used to protect quality), natural flavors.

Costco has a few different brands of guacamole, including their own Kirkland brand. One of the more popular brands is Wholly guacamole. The ingredients in the mini single-serve guacamole packets are:

Hass Avocados, Distilled Vinegar, Contains 2% or less of Water, Jalapeño Peppers, Salt. Dehydrated Onion, Granulated Garlic.

Right away, if you compare those ingredients to the common ingredients in mayo, it's easy to see than the guacamole is wholesome and nutritious. Especially with Avocados as the first ingredients. It does not have any artificial flavors.

The nutritional label is also better than mayo. 1 serving ( 2 tablespoons) has 60 calories, 6 grams of fat, and other nutrients like vitamin c, potassium, fiber, and protein!

Is guacamole healthy?

We established that guacamole is healthier than mayo, but how healthy is it?

Since the main ingredient in guacamole is avocado, it full of monounsaturated fats. These are healthy fats that play an essential role in our bodies. Monounsaturated fats can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and can make you feel full and satisfied.

These plant-based fats can help lower the risk of stroke and heart disease. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says the fat in avocados can also help the body with cholesterol level regulation.  (1)

Avocados themselves contain about 20 different vitamins and minerals. Critical Review in Food Science and Nutrition published a study that showed avocados containing a large amount of potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins like vitamin E, B, and vitamin K! (2)

You can even make your own guacamole and add other natural and whole food veggies that come with their own added nutritional benefits.

Warning: not ALL guacamole is healthy!!

Not all guacamole is created equally. The best and healthiest guacamole is the kind you can make at home. With homemade guacamole, you can control the ingredients and add beans or more of your favorite vegetables.

For packaged guacamole, the healthiest choice is the one with the most straightforward ingredient list and no unhealthy add-ins like mayo.

Other added ingredients to look out for are added sugar, artificial flavoring, and large amounts of sodium. It is always best to compare the nutritional label and ingredients before you buy it.

Adding guacamole to your diet

Healthy guacamole can be a tasty and easy substitute for some of your favorite foods that would otherwise not be considered healthy. Here are some ideas of healthy guacamole substitutions!

• Use guacamole as a sandwich spread instead of mayo
• Add it to salads instead of fatty dressings like ranch
• Use it as a healthy chip dip or veggie dip

Guacamole is even keto-friendly! Since it is loaded with healthy fats and has minimal carbs, it is the perfect low carb, high fat snack!