Japanese Mayonnaise Nutritional Information

Kewpie mayonnaise, commonly referred to as Japanese mayonnaise, is not quite the same as the standard American mayonnaise. While it can be used in a similar fashion, Japanese mayonnaise is more savory and usually contains rice wine vinegar and monosodium glutamate, or MSG. Like traditional mayonnaise, it is important to limit your consumption to the recommended serving size and you should be aware of its nutritional value.

The recommended serving size for Japanese mayonnaise is 14 g, or 1 tbsp. There are 100 calories in each 1-tbsp. serving. If you eat an average of 2,000 calories per day, this may not appear to be a large amount. However, this is significant for a condiment, particularly if you use more than 1 tbsp. on a food item.

If you follow a 2,000-calorie diet, limit your total fat intake to 44 to 78 g of fat per day. A 1 tbsp. serving of Japanese mayonnaise contains 10 g of fat. This is a significant amount for this serving size because it accounts for almost 25 percent of the daily limit based on the lower recommended range. Eating more than the recommended amount in combination with fats consumed from other foods could cause you to exceed this amount.

There may be a concern that Japanese mayonnaise is high in sodium because it contains MSG. However, one serving only contains 14 g of sodium. This amount is not significant based on a daily recommended intake of 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day.

MSG is a controversial ingredient although the Federal Drug Administration has stated that it is safe to include in foods. If you are concerned about consuming it, limit or avoid consuming Japanese mayonnaise and other products that contain it. In rare occasions, regular consumption of MSG can cause symptoms such as headaches, sweating, numbness or tingling. These reactions are usually temporary and once you cease your consumption of MSG, they dissipate.