# Miracle Whip versus Mayonnaise **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 1999, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055 "1999-12-01T14:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/1 "1999-12-01T14:28:00Z")
This may be rated amongst the least important and world-shattering topics posted this week. In fact, having just finished reading the WTO thread, I’m almost ashamed to bring up such a lowly question as this–but it’s got both me and my wife stumped. What–really–is the difference between Miracle Whip and Mayonnaise? I’ve always been more of a mustard or horseraddish kinda guy for my sandwich needs, so I’ve never taste-tested and don’t even know if a true difference exists? When we buy one, we always go with Mayo (why? why not?). I ask because despite our ambivalence towards the topic (in terms of taste, not in the pursuit of knowledge for the sake of knowledge), I’ve known several friends and former roommates who’ve taken a strong stand on the issue, although the pro-mayo-osas are the more adamant and non-compromising (Miraclewhippers tend to be more like: “well, I prefer MW, but if you want Mayo, then…”). Physically, what is the difference? Taste-wise, are they that much a like? Is MW the “white bread” of that consummate “white-bread” product, Mayonnaise? Pass the mustard, please… Pantellerite ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/2 "1999-12-01T14:42:00Z")
This doesn’t answer your question, but it is pretty damn funny. Enjoy! [http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000560.html](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000560.html) * * * **Dopeler effect:** The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/3 "1999-12-01T14:53:00Z")
about 10 cents! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/4 "1999-12-01T14:58:00Z")
Mayonanaise by law has to meet certain standards – percent of fat especially (that’s why before they discovered the adjective “light,” manufacturers used to call it imitation mayonnaise). Miracle Whip is a trademarked product owned by Kraft. They are similar, but since Miracle Whip isn’t worried about government regulations, they can use any recipe they want. In practical terms, Miracle Whip has a “tangier” taste than mayonnaise. I can’t really describe what that means – maybe more vinegar – but the difference is quite noticeable. Hellmann’s mayonnaise’s slogan, by the way is a clever pun: “Bring out the Hellmann’s and bring out the best.” They aren’t claiming to be the best mayonnaise; it’s just that Hellmann’s is identical with Best Foods mayonnaise (same company makes both). (Best Foods is what they call (or called – things may have changed) Hellmann’s in the western U.S.) * * * “East is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does.” – Marx Read “Sundials” in the new issue of Aboriginal Science Fiction. [www.sff.net/people/rothman](http://www.sff.net/people/rothman) ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/5 "1999-12-01T14:59:00Z")
they leave miracle whip out in the sun for a while for that tangy zest! * * * How do you like that! And without so much as a “Kiss my foot” or “Have an apple”! ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/6 "1999-12-01T15:18:00Z")
Ahh, nothing like that sun-brewed potato salad! * * * **Dopeler effect:** The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/7 "1999-12-01T16:01:00Z")
Nice to see a thread I started referenced… Once again, in my own little way, I have made a difference! 🙂 I too have wondered about the OP, as for what the difference really is. I would assume that Mayo is a fairly generic term for… something. As for if you have to meet certain standards for beiing mayo or not, I do not know. Whereas Miracle Whip is the trademarked brand name of “salad dressing.” Kraft owns this and puts it out now, but alo, just as you’ll see Hellman’s and various other brands of mayo, I see (far less) other brands of “salad dressing.” I have not tried anything other than Miracle Whip, however, so I cannot vouch for the other brands (and store-brand stuff in my local stores included) as far as how close they are to Miracle Whip. I still wonder though, whenever Miracle Whip was invented, why couldn’t (or wasn’t) it have been called “Kraft Brand Mayo,” since we all know different brands of anything simply taste differently? I’ve heard rumors that the difference involved eggs, but is this true? If so why? So many questions… * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/8 "1999-12-01T16:01:00Z")
I think there’s a definite difference. I was raised on Miracle Whip, now I use only Mayonnaise. Miracle Whip is sweeter and tangier than Mayonnaise. Mayo is subtle, MW is pronounced. I like Mayo MUCH more now, but it used to be the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![torq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@torq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torq)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/9 "1999-12-01T17:02:00Z")
Am I the only one that’s ever looked at the Miracle Whip jar, seen the words “salad dressing”, and thought “Eww, GROSS!”? I cannot even BEGIN to imagine spooning plain unadorned Miracle Whip onto a salad. Well, I guess I can begin, but I have to stop because otherwise I start getting ill. I know that it’s probably basically the same thing as Thousand Island dressing, but at least Thousand Island dressing has a FLAVOR. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/10 "1999-12-01T17:40:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I still wonder though, whenever Miracle Whip was invented, why couldn’t (or wasn’t) it have been called “Kraft Brand Mayo,” since we all know different brands of anything simply taste differently? Depends on when it was invented, but there are government regulations about what can legally be called mayonnaise. Miracle Whip did not meet the standards, so Kraft couldn’t call it mayonnaise. * * * “East is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does.” – Marx Read “Sundials” in the new issue of Aboriginal Science Fiction. [www.sff.net/people/rothman](http://www.sff.net/people/rothman) ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 1999, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/11 "1999-12-02T06:08:00Z")
And Mayo is just another type of Aoli which is an emulsion of oil, egg and other ingredients (usually lemon and garlic in my kitchen). * * * How do you like that! And without so much as a “Kiss my foot” or “Have an apple”! ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/12 "1999-12-01T19:13:00Z")
Miracle Whip is the smegma of Satan. ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/13 "1999-12-01T19:48:00Z")
Mayonaise is an emulsion of eggs and oil. Salad dressing is an emulsion of water and oil. I’m sure one of the chefs on the board can elaborate more. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/14 "1999-12-01T19:56:00Z")
Miracle Whip: Soybean Oil, Water, Vinegar, Sugar, Egg yolks, Starch, Food Satrch-modified, Salt, Mustard, Flour, Spice, Paprika, Natural Flavor Hellmann’s: Soybean Oil, Whole eggs, Vinegar, Water, Egg yolks, Salt, Sugar, Lemon juice, Natural flavors, Calcium Disodium EDTA ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/15 "1999-12-01T20:08:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Depends on when it was invented, but there are government regulations about > what can legally be called mayonnaise. Miracle Whip did not meet the > standards, so Kraft couldn’t call it mayonnaise. I think the same thing is true about Ketchup, if you fuss around with the ingredients, it’s BBQ! ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/16 "1999-12-01T20:28:00Z")
Funnee Farmer, I’m pretty sure of my eggs/no eggs differentiation. Perhaps Miricle Whip doesn’t contain enough egg to be mayonaise. ---
**Author:** ![Mazey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mazey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mazey)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/17 "1999-12-01T20:48:00Z")
For what it’s worth, I was raised on Miracle Whip…thought I didn’t like mayonnaise at all. Then, I got a sandwich with mayonnaise on it. What IS this wonderful stuff? For what it’s worth, Miracle Whip belongs in Waldorf Salad…if you have to use it somewhere. Mayonnaise belongs on bread. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/18 "1999-12-01T20:59:00Z")
Dukes. * * * “It is lucky for rulers that men do not think.” — Adolf Hitler ---
**Author:** ![JoeyBlades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JoeyBlades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeyBlades)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/19 "1999-12-01T21:32:00Z")
Miracle Whip may not be technically salad dressing, but it definitely contains eggs as the primary emulsifier. Consistency-wise, Miracle Whip is smoother; Taste-wise, Miracle Whip is sweeter. Both products are basically composed of the same ingredients, just in slightly different proportions. In the UK there are a number od Miracle Whip-like products, though Miracle Whip itself is hard to find. They call them “salad dressings”. They generally have a bit more mustard than Miracle Whip and yes, it’s not uncommon to find a “salad dressing” with your salad, fortunately ususally on the side. BTW, if you ever order French dressing in the UK, don’t be surprised if they bring you something that looks like Italian. They have no equivalent to the familiar tomato-based French dressing that we have come to know and love in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055/20 "1999-12-01T21:38:00Z")
No offense to anyone here, but both make me want to puke. * * * -Dragwyr “If God had meant for man to eat waffles, he would have given him lips like snowshoes” -Rev. Billy C. Wirtz [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/miracle-whip-versus-mayonnaise/5055.md?page=2)