In the land of the free and the home of the brave, there’s one thing that you can count on finding in most American kitchens: a trusty squeeze bottle of ketchup. Many folks swear by Heinz ketchup to slather on their hot dogs, hamburgers, and other American favorites. But here’s a little secret that might make you rethink your condiment choices: ketchup isn’t as good for you as you might think.
Despite its status as America’s most beloved condiment and a staple in our diets, doctors are raising the alarm about some not-so-great aspects of ketchup that you should be aware of.
Health professionals have a warning for you, and they’re urging you to pay close attention—for the sake of your well-being! You might recall that Ronald Reagan once tried to classify ketchup as a vegetable to avoid improving school lunches. But the truth is, ketchup contains a bunch of not-so-healthy chemicals that can actually harm your health.
You might assume that tomatoes are the main ingredient in ketchup, but think again. Most ketchup manufacturers, including Heinz, don’t use fresh tomatoes. Instead, they opt for tomato concentrate—a dehydrated form of red tomatoes that requires water to be added. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
After the tomato concentrate, Heinz ketchup contains distilled vinegar, high-fructose corn syrup (a sweetener derived from corn), more corn syrup (yup, even more sugar), salt (which can increase your risk of high blood pressure), spices, onion powder, and natural flavoring. You read that right: Heinz ketchup and similar brands pack a double dose of sugar, making the condiment more addictive and appealing to youngsters.
Ingredients are listed on labels by weight, from the highest to the lowest amount. By using two different types of sugar, Heinz cleverly avoids listing sugar at the top of the list, making their ketchup appear healthier than it really is. If they used just one kind of sugar, it would probably rank second or maybe even first on the list. Sneaky, huh?
Want to know the real sugar content of ketchup? A YouTuber named Mr. Eastcoastman filled up a standard 1.3-liter bottle of Heinz ketchup with the actual amount of sugar that goes into the product. The result? A whopping 33 tablespoons of sugar. That’s over 2 cups of the sweet stuff, while you probably use only a teaspoon or two in your morning coffee.
A typical serving of ketchup, like a squirt on a hamburger, is about 2 tablespoons. Each serving contains two teaspoons of sugar, and you probably had no idea you were consuming it. And what about those healthy-sounding “spices” and “natural flavorings” on the ketchup ingredient list? Your guess is as good as mine. Only Heinz knows what mysterious ingredients they’re adding to your food.
So, next time you reach for that bottle of ketchup, think about what you’ve just learned. With so much hidden sugar and unknown ingredients, maybe it’s time to explore healthier alternatives or make your own homemade ketchup. Your health will thank you for it!
WATCH the video below for more details:
Source: AWM
