Is Miracle Whip Bad For You?
Short answer
Overall, Miracle Whip falls somewhere in the middle of things that are good and bad for you. If you eat an excessive amount of Miracle Whip, it is possible that you run into some serious trouble.
Recommended Alternative
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
A lower fat alternative to mayonnaise, Miracle Whip isn't necessarily healthier. First, the good news - Miracle Whip contains just 40 calories per tablespoon. Furthermore, while it does have 3.5 grams of total fat, it has absolutely no trans fat. Miracle Whip is also an excellent source of vitamin K (over 10% of the daily recommended value). Vitamin K helps transport calcium to bones and is vital in blood clotting properly. Studies have even shown that vitamin K helps fight Alzheimer's disease.
Unfortunately, Miracle Whip has a fairly high amount of sodium, with one tablespoon holding in excess of 100 milligrams. High amounts of sodium can lead to hypertension and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke as well as cause damage to the liver and kidneys. What's even worse, the sugar found within Miracle Whip comes from high fructose corn syrup, which is one of the worst - if not the worst- source of sugar possible. HFCS is a type of sugar that when taken excessively gets stored as fat in the liver, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. As if that's not bad enough, many studies have linked HFCS to diabetes, high cholesterol, and metabolic syndrome.
Miracle Whip is also full of GMO products: the aforementioned high fructose corn syrup, soybean oil, and modified corn starch. While many websites are dedicated to dispelling the "myth" that GMOs are actually safe for human consumption, the fact is that the jury is still out. Many scientists have concluded GMOs have the potential to cause new diseases never seen before and have the ability to cause infertility, cancer, and damage to vital organs. With that said, do you really want to risk your health if you don't need to?
Lastly, due to its corn and soy ingredients, Miracle Whip may cause an allergic reaction for some people.
Possible short-term side effects
- headache
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allergic reaction
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increased blood sugar levels
Possible long-term side effects
- heart disease
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heart attack
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stroke
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hypertension
kidney damage
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liver damage
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obesity
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cancer
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non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Ingredients to be aware of
Benefits
- low in calories
-
contains no trans fats
-
good source of vitamin k
Healthier alternatives
Our Wellness Pick
(what is this?)
MAYO with Avocado Oil
- Made with avocado oil
- Heart-healthy fats
- Rich, creamy texture
- Non-GMO
- Large 32 oz bottle
Learn More!
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Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Jeff Volling
Published on: 01-15-2016
Last updated: 12-15-2023
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Jeff Volling
Published on: 01-15-2016
Last updated: 12-15-2023
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