Ketchup

[zeuspaul]

I read an article about how unhealthy ketchup is and got a little concerned because I like ketchup.

https://www.yahoo.com/now/one-inflammat ... 15221.html

This Is The One Inflammatory Sauce You Should Avoid At All Costs, According To Experts

<snip>
Harmful sugar in ketchup

"While the ingredients [of ketchup] are generally healthy (tomatoes, onions, vinegar), unfortunately they are loaded with HFCS (high fructose corn syrup)," Soare explains. "This is a processed sugar that has been linked to many cardiovascular problems." And even the ones that don't contain this ingredient could lead to health complications due to the fact that they use cane sugar, which, as she notes, "Is not quite solving the problem, since the amount of sugar is still quite high."
<snip>

Then I read the label on the Heinz Organic ketchup I use and it specifically states on the label NO high fructose corn syrup. I felt a little better. It does contain organic sugar but a lot of products that contain some sugar are not considered products that "should be avoided at all costs."

[pepperhead212]

The "experts" will tell us we should eliminate just about all of the condiments, due to either high sugar, salt, or both. A few makers have eliminated the HFCS, and maybe beet sugar, too, so maybe they can say "gmo free", but that doesn't make cane sugar "healthy"! The key is to use in moderation. There are probably more poisonous things out there than ketchup.

[worth1]

I get adds on YouTube to buy something I don't know what, that says tomatoes are harmful.

[Tormato]

Many brands that don't use it in ketchup, prominently display NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP on their labels.

I haven't looked for the tiny little wording on the back saying if it contains a GMO ingredient. From what I hear, 95% of US beets are now GMO, so many more products will likely be using GMOs.

[GoDawgs]

Whatever "expert" made the comment can go jump in a lake. I would guess that the great majority of us don't sit down and guzzle ketchup or any condiment but use a tad here and there and whatever sweetener is in it won't hurt worth a hoot. Another alarmist at best.

[worth1]

I didn't eat store bought ketchup for 6 years.
From the 7th grade until I left home.
We grew heirloom paste tomatoes and my mom made homemade ketchup she put in pint jars.
Needless to say it didn't taste like anything you could buy.
It wasn't as sweet and had cloves in it and lord knows what else.
Probably allspice.

[Seven Bends]

I didn't eat store bought ketchup for 6 years.
From the 7th grade until I left home.
We grew heirloom paste tomatoes and my mom made homemade ketchup she put in pint jars.
Needless to say it didn't taste like anything you could buy.
It wasn't as sweet and had cloves in it and lord knows what else.
Probably allspice.

The original Heinz "Octagon" ketchup recipe was less sweet than the current product and included cloves in its ingredients. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette worked out a normal-size recipe from the original Heinz recipe, where ingredients were measured in gallons and pounds. These are the ingredients and amounts they came up with:
Keystone Ketchup (Octagon Style)
Based on 1895 hand-written company records in the Heinz History Center library
1/2 gallon (8 cups) of fresh tomatoes, or two 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon (slightly heaped) of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
1/3 (or heaping 1/4) teaspoon of ground cinnamon
3/8 (or scant 1/2) teaspoon of ground mace (or nutmeg)
1/8 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper
A very small portion of very small clove of garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of finely chopped onion

The article, with interesting ketchup history and the recipe instructions, is here: https://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/ ... 1710160007
If you get hit with a subscription-only message, try using your browser's "reader view" option, which worked for me.

[worth1]

@Seven Bends
I was able to read the whole article.
I've made homemade ketchup like my mom made with tomato puree.
Hers started in the late 60's or early 70's.
The first batch was hard to get used to because it was thinner and had all those spices in it.
But it didn't take long to like it and not like the stuff we have today.
Then when I got big enough it was my job to run all the hot tomatoes through the big conical strainer and collect the juice in a big bowl.
It was also my job to stir the giant enameled granite cook down kettle to keep stuff from sticking.
I had a sister 4 years older than me but she showed little interest in the kitchen.
Not unless it was making sweets.
Of which she dearly paid for later in life with unbelievable weight gain.

I also had to help my dad on the farm but the kitchen was my favorite place in the summer.
At that time and that area boys didn't cook in the kitchen it was women's work.
But I didn't care and I liked it.
And my father didn't care either.
Compared to the aroma of the homemade ketchup we made to the stuff in the store the store bought stuff is disgusting when heated up.
To this day with the ketchup I buy I'm always doctoring it up with spices like black pepper clove and allspice and sometimes a dash of vinegar or even Worcestershire sauce.

[zeuspaul]

I am sure I could make a quality ketchup, no added salt or sugar and organic such that it contains no insecticides or herbicides. But I am too old for that. I need to find something easily available. I only use ketchup about once a week but I am generous with the amount I use. I don't think the amount of ketchup is a major concern but all of the little things do add up. My preference is to reduce the amount of salt and sugar I consume. Salt is a bigger concern. Even Trader Joe's stopped selling unsalted pretzels.

Heinz does make a no sugar added ketchup. The sodium content is a bit high, 190 mg per 1 tbs (edit: tbsp tablespoon) serving. It is not organic which isn't a major concern. However I prefer minimizing the number of insecticides and herbicides I consume.
https://www.heinz.com/product/000130000 ... -oz-bottle

Simple Truth has two Organic ketchups. One of them looks good to me and is available from Ralphs thru Instacart which is one of the ways we get our groceries. Half the amount of sugar and sodium found in most ketchups and at a reasonable price.

ketchup.png

[worth1]

By total accident I found this documentary on my feed.
Red Gold.
I real eye opener about tomato products.

[zeuspaul]

Another *expert* weighing on sugar. Why is sugar in the news?


The Worst Ingredients No One Should Be Putting In Their Oatmeal Anymore, According To Health Experts

<snip>

1. Refined sugar
It shouldn't be surprising to learn that the absolute worst thing you can add to your oatmeal or overnight oats is plain old white sugar. While this ingredient may undeniably make your breakfast taste a little better, the health risks at hand just aren't worth it, especially if you're trying to lose weight. "The worst ingredient to add to overnight oats if your goal is to lose weight is sugar," Macpherson confirms, explaining that this sweet ingredient "contributes no nutrients." And if you're trying to slim down or just maintain a healthy diet, providing your body with ample nutrients is essential. As she puts it, "nutrient density is vital for sustainable weight loss and healthy weight balance."

But it isn't just the lack of nutrients that makes sugar a terrible ingredient; eating an excess of it can also lead to issues like inflammation, poor gut health, weight gain, and disease over time. Additionally, on the shorter term side of things, eating sugar (unsurprisingly) spikes your blood glucose levels and makes you crave more sweets later in the day. That means starting your morning with a sugary breakfast will likely lead to overeating down the line. For all of these reasons and more, it's best to skip the sugar in your oatmeal.
<snip>

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/worst-i ... 22664.html

[worth1]

Gotta way over weight guy at work that's eating stuff like nutragrain bars and granola bars thinking he's eating healthy.
One 37 gram nutragrain bar has 13 grams of sugar 12 grams is added sugar.
That's about 37% sugar.
And it's hard to believe but one teaspoon is only 4 grams.
That's a little over 3 teaspoons of sugar in just one of these bars.
I honestly don't think people realize this because they don't read labels.
I've been chastised for putting a teaspoon of sugar on a salad with vinegar by people putting a half a cup of sweet dressing on theirs.
Wow you sure do like sugar they exclaim.
Yeah you know how much sugar and fat you just used?
A serving of kraft Catalina dressing is two tablespoons.
Each serving has 8 grams of sugar.
Total fat 6 grams.
Who the hell only puts two tablespoons of dressing on a salad?
I was raised putting oil and vinegar on salad with a pinch of sugar and salt and black pepper.
I weighed 140 pounds when I graduated high school at 5 foot 7 inches.
Ate like a horse.
The modern world is addicted to sugar and they start kids off at an early age.
You can't even buy breakfast sausage without sugar.
The stuff I make doesn't have sugar.

[zeuspaul]

I edited my post to clarify my abbreviation tbs should be tbsp--tablespoon.

[zeuspaul]

I don't see preservatives listed in ketchup ingredients yet ketchup seems to last a long time when kept in the refrigerator. What if I want to blend in some tomato puree to dilute the salt and sugar content? Is vinegar the preservative? If I mix in some puree and add some vinegar would I be good to go?

[worth1]

Vinegar is the preservative and tomatoes have a high acid.
Sugar masks the tartness.
Many things say no artificial preservatives.
You have to be careful reading labels and understanding the laws about labels and food.
It's like the all natural bacon hoax.

[karstopography]

https://www.eatthis.com/best-worst-ketchup-ranked/
Ketchup ranked for how healthy they are.

[zeuspaul]

They are a little unfair to Heinz. They state Heinz ketchup is one of the worst based on their concerns about sodium and sugars. They fail to mention Heinz has a lot of different ketchups one with no sugar added.

Best on their list of 19 ketchups is True Made ketchup with 135 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. The organic Simple Truth ketchup in my post from Ralphs has 75 mg sodium and the same amount of sugar. Neither one uses high fructose corn syrup.

[brownrexx]

We don't eat enough catsup to make it worth worrying about. If I get French fries I like to dip them in catsup but I would be willing to bet that the fries are worse for me than the catsup. Luckily I do not get them very often.

[Cole_Robbie]

Honey is sugar, and it is quite healthy for a person, assuming it is real honey and not the fake stuff from the grocery store. A study of diabetics found that consuming a pound of honey every 3-4 days actually made them lose weight.

[zeuspaul]

Meatloaf or hot dogs for me about once a week. No potatoes for me

I am now considering making my own. It seems to me it would be a very simple process. I am thinking about using a crockpot. If it is too thin then leaving it on a low setting for several hours would help thicken the ketchup. I have to decide between puree, chopped tomatoes in puree and crushed tomatoes. One source recommended crushed to get a consistency more like store bought. I might be able to use a hand mixer to break down chopped or crushed to change the consistency if necessary. A 5 pound can of puree or other will make a lot of ketchup. I have no shortage of freezer jars.

I definitely will add some vinegar as a preservative. Apple cider vinegar would be my preference but I don't know yet. It will also depend on what I have on hand. Absolutely no added salt. Thanks @Cole_Robbie for the honey suggestion that would be a good way to add a little sugar if necessary. Then it comes down to spices. Garlic would eliminate my better half as a user. Likewise cayenne but I have a lot of that sitting on the table in a shaker that I use every day. Maybe a small amount of onion powder. Maybe some dry mustard. I will have to do a little research.