VeebaSauces & Ketchup#18 of 23 in categoryRating 2.3/5

Veeba Smokey Barbeque Sauce

Red flags

  • Red flag: High added sugar (22.5g per 100g)
  • Red flag: High sodium (1100mg per 100g)
  • Red flag: Contains Caramel Colour (Class IV)
  • Red flag: Contains Sodium Benzoate

Green flags

Nothing stands out in its favour.

Ingredients, decoded

12 listed
  • Water
  • Synthetic Vinegar (Water, Acetic Acid (INS260))
  • Jaggery
  • Sugar
  • Tomato Paste
  • Iodised Salt
  • Stabilizers (INS1422, INS415)
  • Tamarind
  • Spices and Condiments
  • Natural Flavouring Substances (Barbeque)
  • Natural Colour (INS150d)
  • Preservative (INS211)
ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

EB4

Nutrition per 100 g
ENutritionBIngredients4Risk
VerdictPOOR
Energy111 kcal
Protein0 g
Carbohydrates27.1 g
Total sugars23.3 g
Added sugars22.5 g
Total fat0.1 g
Sodium1100 mg
Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Barbecue sauce that is almost a quarter sugar

Veeba Smokey Barbeque Sauce is water, synthetic vinegar, jaggery, sugar and tomato paste, with iodised salt, two stabilisers, tamarind, spices, natural barbeque flavouring, caramel colour (INS 150d) and sodium benzoate.

CleanPlate scores it EB4. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 g. The B for ingredients reflects a mix of whole and refined ingredients (led by jaggery, sugar and tomato paste), with additives that cost points: caramel colour, flavouring, acetylated distarch adipate and xanthan gum. The 4 for risk comes mainly from sodium (1100 mg per 100 g) and free sugar (22.5 g per 100 g).

Claims vs reality

What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.

  • Retail listing

    “No Artificial Flavour, Gluten Free, Zero Fat”

    Partly true

    No artificial flavour is listed (the flavouring is natural) and fat is 0.1 g per 100 g, but 22.5 g of every 100 g is added sugar.

How EB4 breaks down

Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.

How we score →
01 Nutritional valueA to E
E

Very low nutrient density

Protein
0 g
Fibre
Not declared
Vitamins and minerals
None declared
Energy
111 kcal

Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E
B

Good, few concerning additives

Base
Water
Sweeteners
Jaggery, Sugar
Additives
4
Flagged
Caramel Colour (Class IV), Sodium Benzoate

Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5
4

High risk

Added sugar
22.5 g
Sodium
1100 mg

Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Water, synthetic vinegar (water, acetic acid), jaggery, sugar, tomato paste, iodised salt, stabilisers (INS 1422, 415), tamarind, spices and condiments, natural flavouring substances (barbeque), natural colour (INS 150d) and preservative (INS 211). No percentages are declared.

Per 100 g: 111 kcal, 0.1 g fat, 23.3 g sugar of which 22.5 g added, 0 g protein, 1100 mg sodium. The panel has no saturated fat or trans fat line although total fat is 0.1 g, which costs 4 label points (the maximum) and makes the score provisional. Sodium is printed as 1100 with no unit (read as mg). INS 150d is sulphite ammonia caramel, listed as natural colour.

Ingredients to watch

  • Added sugarConcern

    22.5 g per 100 g; jaggery and sugar lead the food ingredients.

  • SodiumWorth watching

    1100 mg per 100 g, about 165 mg in a 15 g serve.

  • Caramel colourWorth watching

    INS 150d (sulphite ammonia caramel) costs 4 points.

  • Almost no fatFine

    0.1 g of fat per 100 g.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "Jaggery makes a sauce healthier"

Jaggery is counted as sugar: the sauce has 22.5 g of added sugar per 100 g.

Myth: "Zero fat means light"

Fat is low, but the energy is mostly sugar.

How often, and how

  • Healthy adultsOccasionally
  • ChildrenRarely
  • Diabetes or prediabetesLimit

Smarter ways to eat it

Brush, don't pour

Use a tablespoon (15 g) to marinate or glaze rather than a cup as a dip.

Dilute with curd

Mix with thick curd for a dip with less sugar per spoonful.

Common questions

Is Veeba Smokey Barbeque Sauce healthy?

Veeba Smokey Barbeque Sauce scores EB4 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: High added sugar (22.5g per 100g); High sodium (1100mg per 100g); Contains Caramel Colour (Class IV); Contains Sodium Benzoate.

What does the EB4 score mean?

The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (B) grades ingredient and label integrity: good, few concerning additives. The number (4) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): high risk.

Which ingredients in Veeba Smokey Barbeque Sauce should I watch?

Natural Colour (INS150d) (Caramel Colour (Class IV)), Preservative (INS211) (Sodium Benzoate).

Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

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