March 27, 2023

Healthy Tomato Ketchup Alternative (no added sugar!)

Is Ketchup the most popular condiment in the world? Definitely in the top 3 for sure. It must be up there purely for how well it goes with french fries. Despite its amazing taste however, you will be surprised to know that store bought ketchup is not the healthiest thing that you can consume. Our recipe for a homemade tomato ketchup alternative has no added sugar and has the same amazing taste that will go great with fries and many other food items.

Oh and while we are talking about Ketchup, did you know that the original Chinese recipe for Ketchup was made with pickled fish and spices? It was only in the late 1800s that the tomato based ketchup was created.

I promise you that our healthy ketchup alternative recipe contains no pickled fish 🙂

How healthy is Store bought Tomato Ketchup?

Tomato Ketchup is probably the most popular condiment in the world and Heinz Ketchup is easily the biggest manufacturer. We looked at the Heinz Ketchup website to find out its nutritional info.

Store bought Tomato Ketchup Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

Tomato Ketchup is not a very calorie dense food. This is because it has no fat, no protein and its caloric value comes the Carbohydrates in it.

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As you can see above, almost all the carbohydrate energy in Tomato Ketchup comes from sugar which is not the healthiest source of Carbs. In addition, Tomato Ketchup also has a high concentration of Sodium with a single serving providing almost 8% of your daily recommended sodium intake.

The ingredient list for Heinz ketchup is below

Tomato Concentrate
Distilled Vinegar
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Corn Syrup
Salt
Spice
Onion Powder
Natural Flavoring

Store bought Tomato Ketchup Macro Nutrients

Tomato Ketchup has no protein and no fat. Its only major macro nutrient is Carbohydrates. However, almost all the carbohydrate content in ketchup comes from sugar.

Store bought Tomato Ketchup Micro Nutrients

There are very few micro nutrients present in tomato ketchup. The only ones of note are Vitamins C and Phosphorous. However, these are present in very small quantities, to the tune of just 1% of your daily recommended intake.

Store bought Ketchup Calorie Density

Store bought tomato ketchup is not very calorie dense. One serving (1 tbsp or 17 grams) of Heinz tomato ketchup is only 20 calories. This is much lower when you compare it with condiments like Mayonnaise (90 calories) or dessert spreads like Nutella (80 calories).

We have healthy alternatives for both these condiments

Insanely Healthy Tomato Ketchup Alternative

Our alternative to store bought tomato ketchup is based on a small list of fresh ingredients. The aim is to have no added sugar and to create a ketchup that is delicious and satisfying

Ingredients

3 cups chopped tomatoes (600g)
1/4 cup water (60ml)
1 medium-size onion, roughly chopped
1 medium-size apple, roughly chopped
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp mustard
1/4-1/2 tsp salt

Recipe

To make this recipe, it should take about an hour of cooking time (not excluding prep)

Add the tomatoes, onion and apple to a deep pan
Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 40 minutes
Blend with a hand blender till there are no visible large lumps
Run the mixture through a strainer to remove seeds and skin bits
Stir in Tomato Paste, Apple Cider Vinegar, Mustard and Salt
Cook over a low heat till the ketchup reaches desired consistency
Let cool and then store in a refrigerator

Nutrition Facts for this Insanely Healthy Tomato Ketchup Alternative

For this healthy tomato ketchup alternative, the overall nutrition profile per serving (17 grams or 1 tbsp) is

Calories: 13
Total Fat: 0.1g
Total Carbohydrate: 2.9g
Total Sugars: 1.9g
Protein: 0.4g

Why this Tomato Ketchup Alternative is healthier than Regular Ketchup

Let’s look at a comparison of branded Ketchup with our healthy alternative below

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As you can see from the table above, our healthy Tomato Ketchup alternative has a lot of benefits compared to the branded tomato Ketchup.

For starters, the calorie load per serving is cut down by 35%. In addition, you have 42% less Carbohydrates, 52% less sugar and a whopping 82% less Sodium.

And for more goodness, you even have some Protein available too. In almost all aspects this Nutella alternative is insanely healthier for you.

Frequently Asked Questions for this Healthy Tomato Ketchup Alternative

Can I substitute Canned Tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes?

You can absolutely substitute canned tomatoes intead of fresh tomatoes. Try to find a brand that does not have too many additives.

Can I use any anything else instead of Apples?

Unsweetened tinned Applesauce is a great alternative to using fresh apples in this healthy ketchup alternative recipe.

Can I make this ketchup sweeter?

If you find that you would like your home made ketchup to be slightly sweeter, go ahead and add in your favorite natural sweetener in there. Maple syrup should work best but you can also try adding in Agave syrup.

Compatibility with different Diets

Is this recipe KETO friendly

Since this is a low calorie and low carb recipe you can safely incorporate small amounts of it into a keto diet. Just be careful that you do not exceed your daily carb limit.

Is this recipe Paleo friendly

Yes, this recipe is Paleo friendly. Just be aware of your carb limits.

Is this recipe Slow Carb friendly

Yes, this recipe is Slow Carb friendly

Is this recipe Vegetarian?

Yes, this recipe is vegetarian friendly

Is this recipe Vegan?

This recipe is vegan friendly