The Science: Commercial condiments are hyper-palatable combinations of cheap seed oils, high-fructose corn syrup, and sodium. They are engineered in labs to trigger massive dopamine responses in your brain, causing you to overeat. Using them sparingly or replacing them with mustard, hot sauce, or spices eliminates hundreds of empty calories a day.

The Analogy: Smothering a high-quality meal in a commercial sauce is like painting over a priceless piece of solid oak furniture with cheap, toxic spray paint. You are masking the quality of the raw material with chemicals. Keep the dressings light.