Last reviewed: 2026-09-03 • Editorial Standards

Jarred Salsa: Fructose Ranking (Lowest to Highest)

Evidence-based comparison — data from USDA+ODS-NIH PURINE DATABASE Release 2 (March 2025)

Lowest Fructose Jarred Salsa

#1sugars, salsa, pace chunky, medium2.0 g
#2sugars, salsa, tostitos chunky, medium2.1 g
#3sugars, salsa, tostitos chunky, medium2.1 g
#4sugars, salsa, tostitos chunky, medium2.1 g
#5sugars, salsa, tostitos chunky, medium2.1 g
#6sugars, salsa, tostitos chunky, medium2.1 g

Highest Fructose Jarred Salsa

#12sugars, salsa, tostitos chunky, medium2.1 g
#11sugars, salsa, tostitos chunky, medium2.1 g
#10sugars, salsa, tostitos chunky, medium2.1 g
#9sugars, salsa, pace chunky, medium2.2 g
#8sugars, salsa, pace chunky, medium2.2 g
#7sugars, salsa, tostitos chunky, medium2.2 g

Category Average: 2.1 g/100g

The average across 12 Jarred Salsa foods with lab-measured data. Foods below this average are better-than-typical choices within this category.

How to Use This Ranking

The purine ranking is sorted from lowest to highest. Rank #1 is the lowest-purine food in the category. Foods in the top half (above median) should be consumed with more awareness of portion and frequency. The difference between adjacent ranks varies: in some categories, rank #5 and #10 might be only 10 mg apart; in others, the gap can be 100+ mg. Always check the actual milligram value, not just the position. Rankings do not account for fructose or alcohol — use individual food pages for a complete risk assessment.

ACR 2020 Guideline Context

The American College of Rheumatology recommends that gout patients focus on purine awareness rather than complete food group elimination. Within any category, there is a wide purine range. The goal is to shift toward lower-purine choices within categories you already eat, rather than eliminating entire food groups. This ranking helps you identify which specific items to prioritize and which to limit.

Japanese guidelines recommend under 400 mg of total dietary purines per day. Using this ranking, you can estimate how much of budget each food uses per typical serving.

How This Comparison Is Built

Every food in this comparison has been evaluated using a three-factor risk engine that independently assesses purine content, fructose level, and alcohol presence. Purine values come from two primary references — the USDA+ODS-NIH PURINE DATABASE Release 2 (March 2025) and Kaneko et al. (Biol Pharm Bull 37(5):709-721, 2014, PMID: 24553148). Fructose data is sourced from USDA SR28 Food Composition Tables. The verdict system follows ACR 2020 guideline thresholds: Safe (purine <50 mg, fructose <2g, no alcohol), Moderate (purine 50-150 mg or fructose 2-5g), Avoid (purine >150 mg, fructose >5g, or alcohol present). Data quality is labeled T1 (lab-measured), T2 (measured + consensus), or T3 (category estimate) on each food's detail page.

This comparison is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Individual tolerance to purines and fructose varies. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized dietary guidance. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is salsa bad for gout?
Salsa is not a purine problem — tomatoes and peppers are low-purine vegetables. The fructose dimension is the one to watch: every jarred salsa sample in our database measures about 2.0-2.2 g fructose per 100g, which lands in the Moderate band. A realistic 2-tablespoon serving (about 30g) delivers well under 1 g fructose, so salsa as a condiment is a reasonable choice. The risk comes from the chips you scoop it with and the volume you eat.
Why do Pace and Tostitos salsas measure so similarly?
All 12 lab samples in our database — spanning both brands and six regional testing pairs — fall between 2.0 and 2.2 g fructose per 100g. Chunky medium salsas are formulated to a similar sweetness target regardless of brand. The small regional spread (0.2 g) suggests consistent formulation rather than meaningful product differences.
How can I lower the fructose load from salsa?
Portion is the main lever: a spoonful with a meal is trivial, a bowl eaten like soup is not. Fresh homemade pico de gallo without added sugar measures lower than most jarred versions. And pair salsa with vegetables or baked tortilla chips instead of fried ones — the fructose in the salsa is modest, but fried chips add a separate metabolic cost that matters more for uric acid management.