Ketchup is everywhere! Scrambled eggs, fries, pizza, burgers, chicken, pasta, are all enhanced with a big red dollop of Heinz ketchup. Some diehards have other foods to add it with, making this an indispensable condiment.
Did you ever read the nutrition facts before squeezing this stuff onto your barbecue? You might want to do that. Be ready to throw out your contaminated plate. You will feel sick!
Why You Should Never Eat Heinz Ketchup Again
About the Ingredients
It’s time to burst the bubble. Turn over the bottle. I know you don’t want to but do it anyway. You will see the following ingredient list:
- Tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes
- Distilled vinegar
- High fructose corn syrup
- Corn syrup
- Salt
- Spices
- Onion Powder
- Natural flavoring
Yuck. That alone doesn’t sound good. Keep in mind that these labels are formatted in order of most to least, so there is the most ‘tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes’ and the least ‘natural flavoring.’ Or so it seems.
Heinz sounds like they are trying really hard (and failing) to make their product sound healthy. ‘Tomato concentrate from ripe red tomatoes’ is a fancy way of saying ‘Processed tomatoes that have lost their nutritional value but we are going to make them sound good by putting in ‘ripe red.’ They are preying on the ignorance of the consumers. The producer wants you to think that ‘corn syrup’ is healthier than ‘high fructose corn syrup.’ In reality, these ingredients are the same thing: high fructose corn syrup.
This is a trick. Perhaps since the population is becoming more aware of the importance of the order on product labels so they split the same ingredient under two names. If they didn’t do this, the list may appear like this:
- High fructose corn syrup
- Tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes
- Distilled vinegar
- Salt
- Spices
- Onion Powder
- Natural flavoring
No one would buy a condiment that is mostly corn syrup! At least, no one who knows how bad corn syrup is for you.
As for the salt, Heinz uses the cheapest type of salt that causes toxicity in the blood, high blood pressure, and mineral imbalance if consumed too often.
‘Natural flavoring’… Heaven knows what that means!
By eating one tablespoon of this junk, you are inhaling 7% of your sugar intake and a large portion of your daily sodium. That’s just one tablespoon of a condiment! Who uses only one tablespoon of ketchup on their burger? These numbers add up fast!
3 Scientific Reason To Put Heinz Out of Business
- The High Fructose Corn Syrup
This main ingredient in this condiment is extremely toxic one’s health! It’s derived from genetically modified corn. This syrup spikes blood sugar levels and damages the liver over time. It’s can lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, weakened immune system, and more!
That might have not surprised to you, but this will: An FDA researcher was refused a barrel sample of corn syrup from the producers so she contacted a new beverage company for the barrel. After the testing, she discovered that high fructose corn syrup contains high levels of mercury. Yes, mercury, that toxic metal which affects the brain, nervous system, can lead to autism and is particularly harmful to children.
So about your picky child who won’t eat any new food unless it’s smothered in ketchup… BAD IDEA!
2. Distilled Vinegar and Sugar
Distilled vinegar is not the good type of vinegar you pour on your salads. Distilled vinegar is created from GMO corn which it bred with pesticides and chemicals. There is not benefit to your health, only detriment. The high fructose corn syrup was not enough for Heinz!
3. No Nutritional Value
No fiber, no protein, no minerals… oh wait, there’s 2% of Vitamin A and C! Great. A lousy 2% cannot come close to the sugar and sodium that this condiment is injecting into us.
Avoid Heinz At All Costs
This doesn’t mean you have lost your favorite condiment and dip forever. There are many options on the market for a healthier organic, non-GMO ketchup. The best way is to make your own! It’s easy and takes two minutes.
Homemade Ketchup Recipe
Prep time: 2 minutes. Cook time: 10 minutes.
What You Need:
- 1 cup Organic Tomato Sauce
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of vinegar
- 3 tablespoons coconut or brown sugar
- 1 pinch each cinnamon, cayenne pepper, all-spice, ground clove, ground mustard
What to Do:
- Bring tomato sauce to a boil and reduce (let the evaporation make it thicker- more like a paste than a sauce)
- Whisk in vinegar, sugar and spices. Simmer for 3-4 more minutes.
- Let cool, store in the fridge in an air-tight container. Enjoy within 2 weeks.
The Hearty Soul is pleased to offer our readers a FREE 25 oz jar of Organic Tomato Sauce through Thrive Market, an online grocery store that delivers organic, healthy, non-GMO foods right to your doorstep! Take advantage of this great offer today.
*Article originally appeared at The Hearty Soul.
