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Who doesn’t love a good dollop of ketchup? That tangy, sweet burst of flavour can make almost any meal feel complete. But here’s the Truth: not all ketchups are created equal, especially when it comes to your health. We’re diving into the ketchup aisle with a mission: finding the tastiest options that are kinder to your body with three simple tips.
The Sugary Scoop
The nation's favourite red sauce may be hiding a sticky issue: sugar. A fair bit of it. But fear not, ketchup connoisseurs! There's a way to enjoy your sauce and look after your health too.
Did You Know?
The average bottle of ketchup can pack about 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon. Doesn’t sound like much? Well, consider this: if you're generously dolloping your plate with ketchup three times a week, you're gulping down over 600 grams of added sugar a year just from this one condiment. That’s a whole lot of sweet for something that's supposed to be savory! Another way to look at it is you are having a teaspoon of sugar drizzled over your French fries. Feels wrong, doesn’t it?
The good news is, there are plenty of options here that don’t break the bank…
Worst To Best…
1.Tiptree
Save your pennies and avoid the premium ketchups like Tiptree.
They tend to whack up the sugar content by an extra 35% to over 30 grams per 100 grams (30%).
2. Heinz
A standard bottle of Heinz ketchup contains 22.8 grams of sugar per 100 grams (22%).
3.Hellmann’s
Now, without getting into the taste debate, Heinz’s arch-rival, Hellmann’s, comes up trumps for your health by lowering the sugar content to 18 grams per 100 grams (18%).
4. Heinz Less Sugar
Heinz knows they have a sugar problem, so they’ve created two lower sugar versions for your preference. First, the 50% Less Sugar option at 11 grams per 100 grams (11%). And second, Heinz's No Added Sugar & Salt variety, and you're looking at a mere 4.4 grams of sugar per 100 grams, but watch out here as they do add artificial sweeteners in their place (sucralose) (4%).
5. Dr. Will’s
There are also two newer challenger brands that deserve a mention as they are cutting the sugar without the artificial additives. Dr. Will’s Ketchup uses dates instead of sugar (15 grams per 100 grams or 15%) and Hunter & Gather keeps the sweet stuff out entirely (6 grams per 100 grams or 6%). So, plenty to choose from to suit your taste buds and health
6. Hunter & Gather
The Difference Over a Year?
Going from standard Heinz to the no sugar option will save you over 500 grams of sugar a year in your diet. A small change with a big sugar impact.
And Now, the Million-Dollar Question: What's the Cost?
Surprisingly, opting for a healthier ketchup doesn't mean squeezing your wallet dry.
A bottle of Heinz No Added Sugar & Salt ketchup retails around £0.80 per 100 grams and is the most expensive of the lot, but the money-saving recommendation would be to choose the 50% Less Sugar version as you’ll only be paying £0.54 per 100 grams, or 4% more compared to a standard £0.52 per 100 grams bottle. This way you’ll save 32% on the price of your ketchup (compared to no sugar) and 50% of the sugar content for your health. Win-Win.
Sunna Van Kampen, founder of Tonic Health, says, "Reducing added sugars in your diet can lead to significant health benefits, including weight loss and decreased risk of heart disease." Swapping out sugary ketchup is an easy, tangible step towards a healthier diet.
In the grand scheme of dietary changes, switching ketchup varieties might seem small. But it's these little tweaks that can add up to a big difference in your health.
