The nicest thing about ketchup is it goes really, really well with a lot of things — fried chicken, scrambled eggs, hash browns, French fries, hotdogs, hamburgers, grilled steak and so many others. What’s the not-so-nice thing about it? Most ketchup brands that you can easily buy these days are loaded with sugar, sodium and other questionable ingredients.
Fret not if you are eager to opt for a healthier eating habit but cannot say goodbye to your all-time favorite red condiment. That’s because making your own ketchup is so easy. Using the simple recipe found below, you can come up with something that can make all sorts of treats taste better without putting your health and figure in grave danger.
Before we take a look at this easy-to-follow homemade ketchup recipe that will only take a couple of your minutes, let us first tackle some of the downsides of opting for commercially-bought ketchup.
Just like what’s mentioned earlier, some of the ingredients used are what makes most of today’s ketchup terrible for your health. It is not a good idea to consume anything that contains more sugar and sodium that your body requires. The following are some of the ill effects of adding too much of these ingredients in the diet:
• Excessive amounts of sugar can leave your liver overworked and you might even end up with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It may also put you at risk of insulin resistance, something that may lead to diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Experts say that too much sugar may cause inflammation as well as cancer. Definitely, this sweet substance is bad for your figure as it is said to be the leading contributor to obesity in kids and adults.
• The inclusion of more sodium in the diet than necessary may leave you with high blood pressure due to increased blood volume as your body attempts to dilute excess sodium in the bloodstream with water. It’s no secret that high blood pressure may put you at high risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, and it may also damage your organs. Too much sodium in the diet may also leave you dehydrated.
Do take note that the kind of sugar added to most of today’s ketchup brands are not the natural kind that comes from straight from plants, but the refined variety. This only means that sugar found in your favorite condiment is the kind that can really wreak havoc to your health. Opting for sugar-free ketchup brands is not really a good idea. That’s because in place of refined sugar are artificial sweeteners which are just as bad for you are the real deal!
If you care so much about your health as well as the taste of your French fries, hotdogs, friend chicken and others that you deem should not be eaten without ketchup, your best bet is to make your own ketchup right in your very kitchen. What’s so great about it is you know that you won’t be slathering something that’s packed with sugar and sodium on treats that always go with ketchup. And one more thing: this particular homemade ketchup only takes a couple of minutes to create!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of raw honey
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of mustard
Procedure:
- In a small bowl, place all of the ingredients.
- Whisk everything together until the color is consistent and the texture is smooth.
That’s how quick it is to make your own ketchup at home! There is no denying that it’s healthier than something that you can easily grab at the nearest supermarket. Don’t assume that just because it’s trouble-free to make it won’t come close to the real deal. Just have a taste of it!
