 So, what makes food delicious? You know, it's actually usually not the food itself. After all, an unseasoned piece of chicken or a steamed vegetable isn't delicious on its own. It takes some finessing, and the easiest way to finesse the flavor of food is condiments. But many of the condiments out there just don't fit the plant paradox plan. At least not when you buy them off supermarket shelves. So what can you do? Suffer with bland food? Not at all. All you have to do is make smart substitutions, and I'm going to show a few of my favorite substitutions right now. Let's start with good old mayonnaise. Mayo is a staple in sandwiches, tuna salads, and anything else you want to make creamy. But store bought mayonnaise is often made with canola oil or soybean oil, and loaded with artificial stabilizers, and sometimes even sweeteners. Not what you want. But here's the thing. Mayo in its purest form isn't bad. You can make your own in a blender. Just combine omega-3 eggs, olive oil, lemon juice. Add some minced garlic if you're feeling fancy. If you want to make a delicious substitution though, take a super-right avocado, mash it up with a lemon, and use it in place of the mayo. I do this all the time. It's delightful. And if you really don't want to work, get one of the new avocado-based mayonnaise. All right now, let's move on to peanut butter. It's one of the most popular condiments in America, and one of the most harmful to your digestive tract, immune system, and worst of all, your coronary arteries. You see, peanut butter is a nasty combo. On one hand it's packed with immune-triggering lectins, and on the other hand it's downright addictive. People just can't resist gorging on it the second it hits their taste buds. The best bet is to keep it out of your reach entirely. So what do you reach for instead? Well, here's where I get to the really good news. You've got plenty of tasty alternatives to peanut butter, and they're just getting more plentiful every year. These days you can find walnut butter, almond butter, even pistachio butter, and tahini. Sesame seeds are fantastic for you. They're all on your supermarket shelves. And if you're craving the saltiness of peanut butter, just whisk a couple of drops of coconut aminos into the almond butter for the same savory punch. Now let's move on to the big one, soy sauce. Soy sauce is absolutely packed with lectins and other anti-nutrients that make the hormones and systems in your body go haywire. And the worst part is you don't see the effects of this until much later and never realize things like soy sauce were what caused it. But if you cook with a lot of Asian food, you may be wondering how you'll live without it. And remember, even though it's billed as a healthy alternative, tamari is just as bad. So what do you do instead? How can you season these delicious plant paradox-friendly vegetable stir fries? Good news. You've got two options. Fish sauce. You can brace yourself. It's a little funky-smelling, but it adds a similar savory kick as soy. Just remember, a little of this goes a long way. So use a drop or two at a time and go from there. I actually use a lot of it myself. Now here's my favorite, coconut aminos. It's a plant-based option made from coconut. This is another one where a little goes a long way, so start slow. But I think you'll find it's just as satisfying as soy in all your favorite dishes, even marinades. Now let's move on to a condiment that you'll find at any cookout, barbecue sauce. I know barbecue sauce is sweet, delicious, and it adds a great flavor to meat. That's why it's a classic on American grills. But let's be honest. It's loaded with sugar, and chances are if you're buying a barbecue sauce straight off the shelves, you're getting one that's heavy in tomato sauce, too. After all, one of the main ingredients in most store-bought barbecue sauce is ketchup. But there are a lot better ways to add flavor to meat. Consider a marinade made of olive oil, lemon juice, plenty of fresh herbs and garlic. It's a great way to beat the bland flavor without destroying your digestive system. And if you want something more barbecue-inspired, consider Carolina barbecue sauce. It's vinegar and mustard-based, not tomato-based, and it's pretty easy to make. Just look up a recipe online, and if it calls for sugar, just swap stevia in the recipe. Last but not least, let's deal with salsa. Salsa is quickly becoming America's most popular condiment, and with all the tomatoes and the peppers, it turns into a high-powered lectin bomb inside your body. So instead of salsa, consider a spicy hot sauce. The peppers are fermented, so they're really a lot lighter in lectins. And even better, a little goes a long way. And if you're wanting to have a Mexican-inspired dip, consider guacamole. It's a wonderfully satisfying dish, loaded with good fats and all sorts of wonderful nutrients. Just make sure to prepare it without tomatoes. True guacamole doesn't have tomatoes. All right, those are all the condiments we're covering today. I hope you enjoy these substitutions when you try them. After all, there's no need to suffer with bland food. In fact, bland food's horrible. You have too many wonderful, healthy options. Because I'm Dr. Stephen Gundry, and I'm always looking out for you. Thanks for watching. Click the circular channel icon to subscribe and make sure you don't miss a single video. Click on the left to watch another great video. And don't forget to visit my website for more of my best tips, because I'm Dr. Gundry, and I'm always looking out for you.