4 Research Backed Reasons to Avoid Commercial Ketchup

Heinz Ketchup has recently been banned in Israel from calling its product ketchup as it doesn’t include enough tomatoes. But there are other more serious reasons why you should be cautious about this product as well as other commercial ketchups.

Commercial Ketchup is a very popular condiment used in many houses and is especially favored by kids. It contains lycopene which is the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their red color and is considered a strong and effective antioxidant.

The problem with commercial ketchup is that it also contains a large amount of sugar or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), salt and a range of flavor enhancers.

4 Reasons to Avoid Commercial Ketchup

Commercial ketchup contains high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

Commercial ketchup contains a large amount of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) which is a cheaper alternative to cane and beet sugar.

HFCS is a highly processed substance and is considered more harmful to humans than regular sugar. Many health concerns have been linked to HFCS, which potentially contributes to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. HFCS is also one of the top 10 worst ingredients in food.

According to a research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consumption of high-fructose corn syrup may be one of the reasons for the epidemic of obesity.

According to another research published in the same journal, increased consumption of fructose-sweetened beverages along with increased prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes underscore the importance of investigating the metabolic consequences of fructose consumption in carefully controlled experiments.

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, HFCS contains contaminants including mercury that are not regulated or measured by the FDA.

Commercial ketchup is high in sugar

Ketchup is loaded with sugar and in many cases one fourth of a bottle of ketchup is sugar!

We all know that limiting the amount of sugar in our diet is important to prevent overweight and obesity, which indirectly increases the risk of other diseases.

There is even a research that increased sugar intake may promote cancer development.

Reducing the amount of refined sugar is also one of the 70 habits featured in my e-book 70 Powerful Habits For A Great Health which will guide you how to take positive steps to improve your wellness and overall health.

Commercial ketchup is high in sodium

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), you should consume no more than 1500 mg of sodium daily.

One tablespoon of ketchup can have up to 167 mg of sodium. One tablespoon of ketchup doesn’t seem like the worst offender. But think about how much you usually use— probably not just a spoonful. Combined with the many other places that sodium appears in your diet, that can be a problem.

Evidence shows that consuming too much sodium can raise blood pressure, which is a risk factor for stroke. High blood pressure can also lead to heart disease, kidney disease and congestive heart failure

Commercial ketchup is full of flavor enhancers

Many manufacturers also add to their ketchup all sorts of “natural flavorings,” or flavor enhancers which are actually chemicals that boost flavor such as Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) which has been linked to various health issues, such as brain damage, liver inflammation, learning disabilities, obesity, headaches, nausea, asthma, change in heart rate and various other diseases.

Here is a shocking video showing the hidden sugar content in some Heinz products. Make sure to scroll down to find out how to easily make your own healthy and natural ketchup.

Homemade Ketchup Recipe – The Healthy and Tasty Alternative

Because of the delicious taste of ketchup, many people are not content with a small amount of this condiment, and it doesn’t take long before they load themselves with high amounts of unhealthy stuff.

Instead of eating processed ketchup, you can easily make ketchup at home in your own kitchen. The big advantage is that you can control what goes into your homemade ketchup and adjust the type of sweetener and its amount, as well as the amounts of the other ingredients. Instead of using sugar (or worse HFCS), you can choose a healthier sugar substitutes like raw honey or maple syrup.

Homemade Ketchup Recipe

Below you can find a basic recipe for a homemade ketchup. There are many versions of this recipe, but you can always start with this basic recipe and adjust the taste according to your own preference.

Ingredients:

1 x 6 oz (170 gram) can organic tomato paste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (find here how to make your own ACV)
1/2 tbsp. raw honey or maple syrup
1/4 tsp. sea salt (find here different type of salts and their benefits)
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
About 1/2 cup water

Optional: a pinch of cayenne pepper, a pinch of ground clove, ¼ tsp. allspice, ¼ tsp. ground mustard, ¼ tsp. cinnamon powder.

Directions

Combine all the ingredients except of the water in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Add the water until you reach your desired consistency. Taste to adjust salt, honey or pepper. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and allow several hours for the flavors to develop. This ketchup recipe should last for 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

You can serve this homemade ketchup with another healthy recipes such as crispy cauliflower buffalo wings or these delicious quinoa fritters.

Read my other related articles:
1. Top 10 Worst Ingredients In Food
2. Top 10 Worst Fake Foods