Here's the Truth Behind Ketchup!

Does tomato ketchup contain all the goodness of tomatoes?The answer is NO.

Do have a look at the bottle of tomato sauce & you will usually read the list of ingredients as "tomatoes, sugar, salt, preservatives, spices, onion, garlic & coloring agents." It means that a tablespoon of tomato ketchup contains a lot of other things besides tomatoes, sugar & salt which are bad for diseases like diabetes & high B.P.

Use of tomato ketchup is more common among youngsters who eat fast foods. Once they see the bottle in fridge they are tempted to eat it, sometimes mothers complain that their children want to eat parantha with ketchup only, they don't like to have any vegetable which is very harmful for them. Let's see how...

1. Some manufacturers use cheaper substitutes like white melon and papaya instead of tomatoes. The ketchup served at roadside sandwich sellers is usually of this kind , because it is available at much cheaper rate.
2. The quality and the hygiene maintained during manufacturing and bottling is certainly poor. Coloring agents used can cause allergy.
3. One of the main ingredients is high fructose corn syrup which is highly processed and highly unhealthy sugar sweetener. Even if the best of tomato ketchup is used, you need to keep in mind the fact that a tablespoon gives approx 30 cal which are mainly derived from sugar.
4. The goodness of tomatoes lies in their carotene (Vitamin A), vitamin C and fibre content. During the manufacturing process, the tomatoes are subjected to high temperature so the vitamin content is affected. Secondly the fibre is also removed during the process of straining. So when you are consuming tomato ketchup, you are actually consuming empty calories along with preservatives.
5. It should be avoided by those who are obese, people with history of allergies & asthma and also those suffering from high blood pressure & diabetes.

TIP- Tomato ketchup should be use only for occasions & parties. Instead opt for home made coriander chutney & date chutney which are very healthy and can be consumed on daily basis even .