We’ve all been there. You grab a bottle of sauce off the supermarket shelf, drawn in by tempting claims like “smoky,” “creamy,” or “zesty.” But have you ever turned that bottle around and truly read what’s inside?
Many commercial sauces are loaded with unwelcome guests—additives and preservatives that can undermine your health goals. At SuperSauced, we believe that healthy eating should be simple, transparent, and above all, flavourful. That’s why we’re passionate about creating preservative-free and oil-free sauces that never compromise on taste.
Let’s pull back the curtain. Here are the top ingredients you should look out for, and why we choose to do things differently.
1. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) & Artificial Sweeteners
What it is: A highly processed sweetener derived from corn, cheaper and sweeter than sugar. Why to avoid it: HFCS is strongly linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease. It’s a source of “empty calories” that spikes your blood sugar without providing any nutritional value. Watch out for other artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, which can disrupt your body’s natural ability to manage calories.
Our Promise:We sweeten our sauces naturally, using ingredients like a touch of pure fruit or responsibly sourced honey to achieve a balanced, complex sweetness that honours the natural flavour of our produce.
2. Artificial Flavours
What it is: Chemical mixtures created in a lab to mimic a specific taste, like “smoke” or “chilli.” Why to avoid them: These additives are used to mask low-quality ingredients and create a one-dimensional, overpowering flavour. This dulls your palate to the subtle, complex taste experience you get from fresh, real food and authentic spices.
Our Promise:We never use artificial flavours. We build deep, satisfying taste the old-fashioned way: by slowly simmering and blending proudly South African vegetables, herbs, and spices.
What it is: Chemicals added to prevent spoilage and give products a unnaturally long shelf life. Why to avoid them: These preservatives can cause allergic reactions in some people and are the subject of ongoing health debates. More simply, their presence is a clear sign that a product is far from fresh and has been sitting in a warehouse—or on a shelf—for months.
Our Promise:We are proudly preservative-free. Our small-batch, handcrafted approach means our sauces are made to be enjoyed fresh, celebrating the local goodness of ingredients at their peak.
What it is: Highly processed oils that are often genetically modified and extracted using chemical solvents. Why to avoid them: These oils are high in inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. A diet high in these inflammatory oils is linked to heart disease, among other chronic health issues. They are often added as cheap fillers to create a creamy texture or bulk out a product.
Our Promise:We are an oil-free sauce company. We achieve rich textures and depths of flavour through reduction, blending, and the use of natural ingredients—never by adding cheap, inflammatory oils.
5. Artificial Colours (Tartrazine, Allura Red)
What it is: Synthetic dyes used to make sauces look more vibrant and appealing. Why to avoid them: Many artificial colours are derived from petroleum and have been linked to hyperactivity in children and potential carcinogenic effects. Why does your tomato sauce need a chemical to make it red? Ripe, fresh tomatoes provide their own beautiful, natural colour.
Our Promise:The vibrant colours in our sauces come from one place: our real, whole ingredients. You’ll never find an artificial colour in a bottle of SuperSauced.
How to Be a Savvy Sauce Shopper:
Turn the Bottle Around: Ignore the marketing on the front. The truth is in the ingredient list on the back.
The shorter, the better: A short, recognisable ingredient list is usually a good sign.
Can you pronounce it? If an ingredient sounds like a chemical from a lab, it probably is.
Look for the Source: Choose brands that prioritise local ingredients and transparent sourcing, like we do at SuperSauced.
Choose Flavour, Choose Health, Choose Local
At SuperSauced, we believe that what you leave out is just as important as what you put in. By saying no to these harmful additives, we say yes to authentic flavour, yes to your health, and yes to supporting proudly South African agriculture.
Your next meal deserves a sauce that enhances it, not one that hides a secret list of unwanted ingredients.
Here at SuperSauced, we have a not-so-secret love affair with the chilli. It’s more than just heat; it’s the soul of a great sauce. But with so many varieties, how do you find the one that’s perfect for your palate?
Choosing a chilli isn’t just about how much heat you can handle—it’s about discovering a world of flavourful, complex tastes that can elevate any meal. Whether you’re a heat seeker or a flavour fanatic, there’s a chilli out there with your name on it.
Let’s explore some popular chillies and find your perfect match. Remember, the best chilli is the one that brings you joy (and a delicious taste experience)!
For the Heat Seeker: The Adrenaline Junkie
You live for the burn. The sweat on the brow, the endorphin rush—you want to feel your sauce. Your chillies are not for the faint of heart.
Your Champion: The Bird’s Eye Chilli (Peri-Peri)
Heat Level: Very Hot (50,000 – 175,000 Scoville Heat Units)
Flavour Profile: This is the iconic proudly South African firestarter. It packs a sharp, intense heat that comes on quickly, but behind the punch is a wonderfully bright, slightly smoky, and citrusy flavour. It’s the heart and soul of a true Peri-Peri sauce.
Perfect For: The ultimate braai glaze, a fiery marinade for chicken, or a daring dash on eggs for a breakfast that wakes you up properly.
For the Flavour Fanatic: The Culinary Explorer
You believe heat should enhance flavour, not overpower it. You’re in it for the subtle notes of fruit, smoke, and earth. Your motto: “Taste first, heat second.”
Your Champion: The Scotch Bonnet
Heat Level: Hot (100,000 – 350,000 SHU)
Flavour Profile: Don’t let the high Scoville rating fool you—this chilli is a flavour king. It’s renowned for its distinct sweet, fruity, and almost tropical flavour (think hints of apricot and apple) that blossoms before the intense heat kicks in.
Perfect For: Adding a complex, fruity heat to mango salsas, jerk-inspired marinades, and natural,handcrafted sauces where flavour is the star.
For the Beginner: The Curious Newcomer
You’re ready to dip your toe into the world of heat. You want a gentle warmth that opens up new flavours without any overwhelming fire.
Your Champion: The Poblano Pepper
Heat Level: Very Mild (1,000 – 1,500 SHU)
Flavour Profile: Deep, rich, and earthy with a mild heat that feels more like a warm glow. When dried, it becomes an Ancho chilli, which has a sweet, raisin-like flavour. It’s all about the deep, smoky taste, not the burn.
Perfect For: Stuffed peppers (Chiles Rellenos), blending into a rich, mild chilli stew, or creating a gentle, smoky sauce for those new to heat.
The SuperSauced Way: It’s Never Just About Heat
At SuperSauced, our philosophy is that every chilli should be celebrated for its unique character. We never use artificial capsaicin extracts to unnaturally inflate heat. We believe in a natural approach.
We source the finest proudly South African Bird’s Eye chillies and blend them with other fresh, natural ingredients—like zesty lemon, garlic, and herbs. This handcrafted process allows us to build a sauce that is both powerfully hot and incredibly flavourful. It’s a taste experience that starts with bright citrus, unfolds with layers of flavour, and finishes with a clean, satisfying heat—all without any preservatives or unnecessary oils.
This commitment to healthy eating means you get all the excitement of the chilli, with none of the hidden junk.
So, Which Chilli is Best for You?
If you want maximum fire: Embrace the Bird’s Eye. Look for sauces where it’s the star ingredient.
If you want a flavour journey: Seek out sauces that use chillies like Scotch Bonnet for a fruity complexity.
If you’re just starting out: Begin with milder options and work your way up! The world of chillies is meant to be explored at your own pace.
No matter your preference, the best chilli is one made with integrity, from fresh ingredients, that turns any meal from ordinary to extraordinary.
If you love to cook with a little heat then read on because we’re talking about all different types of chillies – from the very mildest piquant peppers, right through to the hottest of the hot.
THE CHILLI CHALLENGE
Chilli challenges have been sweeping the internet of late, with crazy folk of the world filming themselves eating some of the world’s hottest and letting us watch their pained reactions for fun. As with anything, it’s all a game until someone gets hurt. At the end of 2016, it was reported that a man was hospitalised in the US after being rushed to the ER with a spontaneous oesophageal rupture, also known as Boerhaave syndrome, after eating a burger smothered with ghost pepper purée. There have also been reports of vomiting blood and other delightful reactions. It’s interesting what some deem as fun.
THE SCOVILLE SCALE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILLIES
To avoid a similar situation, how can you tell what kind of heat different types of chillies are packing? Well, the Scoville scale, invented by a smart fellow by the name of Wilbur Scoville, is used to measure hotness by determining the capsaicin content – the compound that gives chilli peppers their sting. Back in the day, human beings were used as the guinea pigs to test heat levels – the method related to how diluted the pepper would need to be in order for taste testers to no longer taste its effects (originally diluted in an alcohol-based extract). Besides possibly getting hammered, this method was a bit trial and error. Fortunately,
Fortunately, scientific ability has advanced and we’ve figured out a way to separate the capsaicinoids and use liquid chromatography to measure the heat. This method is still measured in SHU (Scoville Heat Units), keeping Wilbur’s legacy intact. Using SHU as a guideline when reading the label of your favourite chilli sauce will come in very handy when you need to know whether you’re dealing with a spicy kick or full-scale tastebud warfare.
Did you know? The infamous Carolina Reaper chilli is currently the hottest chilli in the world as determined by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2013, scoring more than 2.2 million SHU (official record). To put that into perspective, the jalapeño pepper has a range of a between a rather paltry 1000 and 20 000 SHU when compared.
The theory is that the more spicy food you eat the better you’ll be able to tolerate it but we’re not sure if that theory holds any water. Just in case, be sure to bump up your chilli knowledge with our handy guide to different types of chillies so that you don’t get caught unawares.
A GUIDE TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILLIES
PEPPADEW®
The heat: A tangy party in the mouth… Length: 4 cm
This pepper is native to South Africa. It was discovered in the 90s and has been popular worldwide ever since. The Peppadew® name is trademarked in South Africa as a means to control the commercial growing of the pepper. It has a unique taste with hints of spice and sweetness. It is very mild with a Scoville rating of 1100 to 1200 SHU. This versatile pepper can be sliced and used on pizzas and in bread, pasta, salads and more. It can also be filled with cheese for a quick snack. The Peppadew® resembles a cherry tomato or a miniature red pepper and is mostly sold pickled, with the seeds removed, to give a milder flavour.
You’re still in safe territory if you’re eating a poblano chilli. This larger size pepper ranges from 7-15 cm long and packs a Scoville rating of 2500 to 5000 SHU. It comes from the Puebla state in Mexico and its name means ‘an inhabitant of Puebla’. These types of chillies are much more potent when ripe and red as opposed to its raw, green state. As they mature, they turn a dark, almost brownish red colour and are a good chilli for drying because of their thick skin. When dried they are known as an ancho chilli and where it hails from is also accepted by many as the origin of mole poblano – the spicy chilli sauce enriched with very bitter dark chocolate, which is one of the most iconic dishes in Mexico.
GUAJILLO
The heat: You’re getting warmer… Length: 5 – 10 cm
This chilli, often sold dried, is deseeded, soaked and ground into a thin paste to be used in salsa, soups or stews. It is most commonly used to make salsa for dishes such as tamales and it adds a rich, aromatic taste. The guajillo chilli is relatively big measuring 5-10 cm in length, their medium hotness ranges between 2500 and 5000 SHU on the Scoville scale. Due to its thick and leathery skin, this chilli requires a longer soaking period than most other dried chillies in order to unlock its flavours.
JALAPEÑO
The heat: Whoa, we’re in Mexico son… Length: 4 cm +
This is probably one of the most popular peppers out there. It has a Scoville rating that is pretty broad, ranging from 1000 right up to 20 000 SHU. Being that the heat range is so broad, it can be a bit of a gamble – you never know what you’re going to get. Something to remember though is that as jalapeños get older they turn red and become much hotter. The hotter jalapeños also have white ‘stretch marks’ which indicate their age and hotness, while milder jalapeños will be smooth. Jalapeños contain vitamin C and A, so besides being tasty, they’re a good addition to your diet. We love them stuffed, wrapped and fried.
The heat: The Cheech & Chong of chillies… Length: 5 – 7 cm
The word chipotle means smoked chilli and just like the name says, these little flavour bombs are smoke-dried jalapeños. If you’re wondering why they have a reddish hue when most of the jalapeños you would have seen are green, it’s because they are smoked when they are ripe, and jalapeños turn red when ripe. The two most common varieties of chipotle are the Chipotle Morita and Chipotle Meco.
Chipotle Meco is much harder to find and is dried out for a much longer time than the Chipotle Morita. The vast majority of Chipotle Morita are made in Chihuahua state in the north of Mexico, while the less common Chipotle Meco, are made in the central and southern parts of Mexico. These types of chillies are medium to hot with a Scoville rating of 2500 to 10 000 SHU. It can be used in salsas, stews and soups as well as many other dishes to add a mild to spicy and smoky kick.
The heat: Enough to make your nose run… Length: 5 cm
Serrano peppers look very similar to jalapeños but don’t be fooled by the look of these types of chillies – the serrano pepper is much hotter, with a Scoville rating of 10 000 to 25 000 SHU. The average size is of a serrano pepper is about 5 cm long – the smaller the serrano the more potent it is. This pepper also originated in Mexico and is one of the most commonly found peppers in that part of the world with 180 000 tons produced in Mexico every year. The taste can best be described as ‘crisp’ and they are usually eaten raw. The serrano has a very thin skin which makes it easy to eat raw but tricky to dry. They are green when raw and turn into a multitude of colours including red, brown, orange and yellow when ripe.
The taste can best be described as ‘crisp’ and they are usually eaten raw. The serrano has a very thin skin which makes it easy to eat raw but tricky to dry. They are green when raw and turn into a multitude of colours including red, brown, orange and yellow when ripe.
RED CAYENNE PEPPER
The heat: Mother of dragons… Length: 12 – 15 cm
This is probably quite a familiar one, with the ground version of it being a popular spice rack favourite. Also known as the red hot chilli pepper, the cow-horn pepper or the aleva, it is rated at around 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. If you’re interested in growing chillies, this is a good place to start as the plant grows well and the fruit dries well and can be ground to powder. It is named after the capital city of the French Guiana, “Cayenne”.
PIRI PIRI (AFRICAN BIRD’S EYE OR PERI PERI)
The heat: Ring sting… it’s happening. Length: 2 – 3 cm
Ah piri piri, peri peri, however you say it or spell it, we love it. The direct translation from Swahili means pepper pepper, but do not be deceived by this or its small form – butt burning ability comes in small packages. Said to have been brought by the Portuguese from Goa, this little chilli has comfortably found its home in the hearts of South Africans, most notably in the dish of peri peri chicken. Peri Peri sauce is also a national treasure and an important ingredient that accompanies meals across the country on a daily basis. Ask any Portuguese-South African and they’ll claim their recipe is the best!
The heat: Bombay bottom territory… Length: 2 – 4 cm
These types of chillies are very small and the seeds are often spread by birds, hence the name Bird’s Eye. If you’re wondering how our feathered friends manage to eat them, it’s because they can’t taste capsaicin. It’s meant to deter mammals, but so far that hasn’t stopped us. They can either be red and green in colour. The Bird’s Eye chilli, although small, packs quite the uppercut, with a Scoville rating of 100 000 to 225 000 SHU.
Bird’s Eye chillies have surprising health benefits including helping to control arthritic pain, stomach pain and toothaches, possibly because they’re so hot that you forget about any other ailment. This chilli has its origins in the South American country of Guyana. Although it comes from South America, it is widely used in many south-east Asian dishes. In India, it is used as an antibacterial agent to prevent infections.
HABANERO
The heat: Refrigerate the toilet paper… Length: 2 – 6 cm
This chilli is named after Havana (La Habana), the capital city of Cuba. Most habanero chillies come from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It is a very hot chilli, with a Scoville rating of 100 000 to 350 000 SHU. The habanero chilli comes in many different colours although some growers consider the orange habanero to be the only real habanero. Very limited research has revealed that habanero peppers may be helpful in controlling insulin levels in diabetics. Be careful when trying this chilli as its heat is very intense for a novice chilli taster. Add very carefully in small quantities to a salsa or chilli con carne to provide a significant bite.
GHOST PEPPER
The heat: Don’t handle without protective clothing… Length: 6,5 – 8, 5 cm
The ghost pepper is known by a few names but most commonly Bhut jolokia. It held the top honour as the world’s hottest pepper for quite a while but has since been pipped by the Carolina Reaper. It still rates at a cool (or rather boiling) 1 million SHU’s though, so nothing to sniff at. The ghost pepper originates from India and grows in the north-eastern regions of Nagaland and Assam. It grows to its most potent in this area and studies have shown that growing it outside of these specific places lowers its potency. Even at a lower potency, it is still killer hot – just touching the flesh can cause skin burns, so why you would want to eat it or cook with it we really don’t know.
CAROLINA REAPER
The heat: Hospitalisation probable. Length: 3 – 7 cm
The final chilli in our guide to different types of chillies is the Carolina Reaper – a mean, gnarled and pointy-tailed looking pepper, which makes total sense given its devilish demeanour. Perhaps devilish is too kind of a phrase for this chilli, which quite literally bestows the wrath of hellfire on anyone who dares eat it. It should be noted though that this is a ‘man-made’ pepper and is not an original product of Mother Nature. A man by the name of “Smokin” Ed Currie, owner of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in, as you guessed it, South Carolina, crossed a ghost pepper and a red habanero to breed this evil spawn.
