Among condiments, mayonnaise holds a special place. It is a rich, creamy and versatile ingredient. Mayonnaise is a crucial ingredient in many classic dishes such as egg salad, tuna sandwiches, Russian salad, coleslaw, fish and chips, tartar sauce and deviled eggs. While you can always buy commercially sold mayo, you can whip it up at home with just three everyday kitchen ingredients. Let's get to know mayonnaise a little better.
What is mayonnaise?
Mayonnaise is a condiment made from three ingredients: egg yolks, oil and vinegar or lemon juice. These immiscible ingredients are emulsified by whisking them together. The result is a creamy condiment that has a rich and tangy taste. Egg yolks act as an emulsifier, bringing oil and vinegar together in a homogenous mixture.
Mayonnaise was first made in France in 1776 to commemorate the conquering of Port Mahon in Spain. It was then known as Maho'nnaise. It was first produced and sold commercially in the 1900s and then its popularity spread to America and Japan. Kewpie Mayo, a brand manufactured in Japan, has achieved cult-like popularity globally.
Store-bought mayonnaise contains additives like egg lecithin, citric acid, maleic acid, texture enhancers, stabilisers and inhibitors that prevent the formation of crystals. Homemade recipes call for mixing egg yolks, oil with vinegar or lemon juice with the help of a hand-held whisk, fork or blender. Mustard may be added for colour and flavour.
Egg-free and dairy-free versions of mayonnaise are now available for vegans and vegetarians.
Mayonnaise calories and nutrition
100 grams of mayonnaise contains the following nutrients:
| Nutrients | Measure (Daily Value) |
| Calories | 680 |
| Total fat | 75gm (115%) |
| Saturated fat | 12 gm (60%) |
| Cholesterol | 42 gm (14%) |
| Sodium | 635 mg (26%) |
| Potassium | 20 mg (0%) |
| Total carbohydrates | 0.6 gm (0%) |
| Dietary fibre | 0% |
| Sugar | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0% |
| Calcium | 0% |
| Iron | 1% |
| Vitamin D | 1% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0% |
| Cobalamin | 1% |
| Magnesium | 0% |
Health benefits of mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is a controversial food when it comes to its purported health benefits. It is a high fat food, which may be good for a keto diet. However, it should be avoided if you are following a low calorie, weight loss diet. A single spoon of mayo contains 100 calories.
Interestingly, cholesterol in egg yolks is not fully absorbed by the human body. So it may not affect the blood cholesterol levels, according to certain findings.
Egg yolks are rich in fatty acids; proteins; vitamins A, D, E, K, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, and B12; and minerals, and are more energy-rich than egg whites. It is a source of fat-soluble nutrients, especially vitamin D. Addition of healthy oils like olive oil and vinegar/lemon juice can also improve the nutritional profile of mayonnaise.
In moderation, mayonnaise may have some potential health benefits:
- Can lower the risk of gastrointestinal diseases
- Can boost immune health
- Can help lower blood pressure
- Good for skin health
- Food source of vitamin D
- Good for the eyesight
- Good for brain and memory
- May benefit liver health
- May improve muscle growth
- Promotes good sleep
- May decrease inflammation
- Can control blood glucose levels
Good for eye health: Mayonnaise may be good for promoting good eyesight since it contains vitamin A-rich egg yolks. Other eye-health boosting nutrients in eggs like lutein, zinc and zeaxanthin can reduce the damage done by harmful blue light. Lutein is also present in extra virgin olive oil used in high-quality mayo.
Boosts immune system: Rich homemade mayo may be good for the immune system. The condiment contains zinc, vitamin A and E, all of which are excellent for boosting the body's defence system.
Good for brain health: Egg yolks contain choline, a vital nutrient for the brain and the nervous system. This mineral is important for the formation of cell membranes and for regulating memory and muscle functions.
References:
1. Mirzanajafi-Zanjani M, Yousefi M, Ehsani A. Challenges and approaches for production of a healthy and functional mayonnaise sauce. Food Sci Nutr. 2019 Jul 18;7(8):2471-2484. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.1132. PMID: 31428335; PMCID: PMC6694423.
2. Chetana, R., Bhavana, K. P., Babylatha, R., Geetha, V., & Suresh Kumar, G. (2019). Studies on eggless mayonnaise from rice bran and sesame oils. Journal of food science and technology, 56(6), 3117–3125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-019-03819-1
3. Kim, J. E., & Campbell, W. W. (2018). Dietary Cholesterol Contained in Whole Eggs Is Not Well Absorbed and Does Not Acutely Affect Plasma Total Cholesterol Concentration in Men and Women: Results from 2 Randomized Controlled Crossover Studies. Nutrients, 10(9), 1272. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10091272
5. . David Spence J. (2016). Dietary cholesterol and egg yolk should be avoided by patients at risk of vascular disease. Journal of translational internal medicine, 4(1), 20–24. https://doi.org/10.1515/jtim-2016-0005
6. Réhault-Godbert, S., Guyot, N., & Nys, Y. (2019). The Golden Egg: Nutritional Value, Bioactivities, and Emerging Benefits for Human Health. Nutrients, 11(3), 684. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030684
7. Smolders, L., de Wit, N., Balvers, M., Obeid, R., Vissers, M., & Esser, D. (2019). Natural Choline from Egg Yolk Phospholipids Is More Efficiently Absorbed Compared with Choline Bitartrate; Outcomes of A Randomized Trial in Healthy Adults. Nutrients, 11(11), 2758. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11112758
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