Useful properties of ketchup. Composition, calorie content and description of tomato ketchup with photos; benefits and harms of the product; how to choose correctly; recipes on how to cook at home. Health benefits of ketchup

Nowadays, ketchup is the most popular sauce in home cooking. Ketchup began to be produced on an industrial scale 100 years ago, and this is exactly how long ketchup has been used both in national cuisine and as an additive to barbecue and meat. It would seem that tomato sauce could be dangerous for humans, but everything is not so simple. And it’s not even that most varieties of ketchup nowadays contain a huge amount of preservatives and other harmful substances.

Production and composition of ketchup

Typically, this sauce consists of tomatoes, water and spices. The tomatoes are selected, crushed and evaporated. The resulting tomato paste, according to international standards, should make up about a third of the mass of the future sauce. However, in order to simplify and reduce the cost of the manufacturing process as much as possible, starch, gum, vinegar, various flavorings and stabilizers are added to the product. Here a lot depends on the conscience of the manufacturer, since the quality of the product at this stage cannot be monitored. However, this ketchup also has some beneficial properties. If you see products such as garlic, carrots, peppers and herbs in ketchup, do not be alarmed - these are natural ingredients, their use in the manufacturing process is quite acceptable.

The benefits of ketchup

People rarely talk about the benefits of ketchup. And, despite this, natural ketchup contains some enzymes that have a positive effect on human health. Here are some beneficial properties of this sauce:

the presence of serotonin - the “happiness hormone”. We can say that ketchup is a natural antidepressant.
the presence of lycopene - this enzyme reduces the risk of tumors and heart disease
a large amount of vitamins (ascorbic acid, B vitamins and some others)
the presence of iron, potassium, and phosphorus salts in ketchup

Thus, to say that ketchup is absolutely harmful to humans is baseless. Although, it should be borne in mind that only natural ketchup contains the above elements.

The harm of ketchup

Speaking about the dangers of ketchup, it should be precisely divided into low-quality and natural. Ingestion of some preservatives and stabilizers is fraught with very sad consequences, for example: the formation of cancerous tumors (E131, E142, E153, E211-219, E338-343, etc.).

But relatively high-quality ketchup is also harmful (you can buy it only in special stores specializing in cooking; it is unlikely to be cheap). Here are some “surprises” that lovers of this product risk receiving as a gift:

the occurrence of allergic reactions. In a variety of manifestations
the occurrence or exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (Gastrointestinal tract)
inflammation of the pancreas - pancreatitis
in men - possible infertility (in rare cases), deterioration of spermatogenesis
obesity (due to high carbohydrate content)
metabolic disease

How to avoid consequences?

To protect yourself as much as possible, choose only natural ketchup. You should not abuse this product, especially during pregnancy (otherwise the baby will be susceptible to allergic reactions). You can generally make ketchup at home - the best option.

Making your own ketchup

Even a person who knows nothing about cooking can make ketchup on their own. First, remove the skin from the tomatoes (after scalding them). Finely chop the bell pepper and simmer it along with the tomatoes. Afterwards, add garlic, herbs and spices (to taste) to the mixture. Mix everything in a blender. All that remains is to strain the resulting mass.

This ketchup is definitely the most natural.

How to choose ketchup

Knowing some subtleties will help you, when choosing a product, to find natural ketchup even in an economy class store. Here are some of these tricks:

Pay attention to the tomato content in ketchup. 40% or more is optimal. Less - know that this ketchup is either tasteless or loaded with preservatives.
Give preference to ketchup in glass bottles. Ketchup in plastic packaging is most often unsafe for health.
Study the composition of ketchup. Tomato paste should be at the top of the list of ingredients. If water and starch come first, we can say that this ketchup is synthetic.
Shake the ketchup bottle. Good ketchup will stay on the walls and not spread. Ketchup should retain its volume.
When looking at ketchup, look at the color. It should be red. An unnatural color of ketchup (too bright or dark shades of red) primarily indicates that dyes were added to the ketchup during production. The aphids are because a lot of fruit puree was added to the ketchup to make the process cheaper (this often happens).
Buy ketchups from well-known brands. They do not guarantee the absolute naturalness of the product, however, this is the least risky.
Please note the GOST sticker on the packaging. Choose brands of ketchup made in accordance with GOST. No “Made according to specifications (technical specifications).”

Be very careful. You can find a list of dangerous preservatives on the Internet - print it out and take it with you to the store. Protect yourself!

Ketchup is heat-treated tomatoes that contain large amounts of lycopene, a substance that protects against cancer. However, the sauce contains a lot of preservatives, salt, sugar, starch, which retain fluid in the body and contribute to weight gain and increased blood pressure. Therefore, the harm from ketchup is much greater than the benefits.The basis of any ketchup is tomato paste or puree. In premium and extra class ketchups, the share of tomato paste should be 40%, in ketchups of the highest category - 30%, in ketchups of the first and second categories - not less than 15%.
Let us feel the harm of ketchup for the male body in terms of the function of reproduction. French scientists have proven that among all food products, the maximum amount of harmful substances that affect spermatogenesis is contained in tomato concentrate, on the basis of which ketchups are made. Families who are planning children are recommended not to eat ketchup for six months.
The harm of ketchup is enormous for people who are prone to obesity and suffer from metabolic disorders. Ketchup has a high sugar content, it is several times higher than the sugar content even in ice cream. And modified starch and bright dyes of low-quality ketchup can aggravate the situation with excess weight.

Ketchup is not uncommon on our table today, it’s hard to imagine without it today; children and adults love it very much. let `s talk about benefits and harms of ketchup, as well as how to choose a first-class product, and what is the difference between a low-grade one. Ketchup is the most popular sauce in the world.
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The benefits and harms of ketchup

Ketchup is used to add a piquant taste to a wide variety of dishes. But there are still heated debates about whether ketchup is harmful or beneficial. Let's try to understand this issue.

Ketchup composition

So, what does classic ketchup consist of? The composition is incredibly simple: water, spices and tomatoes. Tomato paste is the main ingredient of the sauce.

To prepare it, fresh tomatoes are crushed, heated and passed through a special sieve that sifts out the skins and grains.

The percentage of tomato paste is from 15 to 40% (depending on the class of ketchup - premium, extra, first and second category).

Cheap products are also richly supplied with potato starch, flour, gum, vinegar and citric acid, and these components are not always of natural origin. By the way, water can also be of different quality, and here you can only rely on the conscience of the manufacturer.

Pay attention to the consistency of the ketchup. It should not be greatly deformed or spread.

Choose a product without the E label and other harmful substances mentioned above.

It is also desirable that the product be manufactured in accordance with GOST, and not TU, because each manufacturer sets the so-called technical conditions for himself.

Remember that half a kilogram of ketchup cannot cost less than 50 rubles.

What else can I say about benefits and harms of ketchup? Of course, it is useful if it is of high quality and in moderation!

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Tomato ketchup It is a very common addition to a variety of dishes. Its use is very popular. Ketchup acts as a sauce and is ideal for almost any dish. Some gourmets use this product even when eating tomato dishes. The main ingredients of ketchup are tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and various spices.

China is considered the country of origin of ketchup. The original ketchup has no similarities with the one that is very popular today. Initially, the sauce included anchovies, nuts, beans, beans and mushrooms. Nowadays you can find sauces that consist of the same ingredients, but they cannot be called ketchup. Only by the 19th century in America did they begin to publish recipes for making ketchup in various books and magazines.

The first tomato ketchup was produced more than a hundred years ago. Natural tomato sauce should consist of tomatoes and spices. Nowadays, production uses various flavor enhancers and additives that increase shelf life. Because of this, ketchup is considered a product harmful to the body.

This sauce helped many people get into the Guinness Book of Records. The latest record is drinking a 400 gram bottle of tomato ketchup within 30 seconds.

In the Midwest of the United States, there is an original tradition: festivals are held annually near a huge bottle of ketchup. It was installed in 1949 to store water at a ketchup production plant. It holds more than 400 thousand liters, and its height and width are 2.4 and 1.2 meters, respectively. This bottle of ketchup is a highlight of the city of Killinsville.

Tomato ketchup is a very common product. This is due to the fact that it can be consumed ready-made as an additive, or subjected to heat treatment when stewing, baking and frying dishes. It is important to remember that ready-made tomato ketchup contains spices, so you need to use it in moderation.

A rather interesting fact is that in the 19th century it was believed that using ketchup could cure liver and gall bladder diseases. Then a doctor from America came up with the idea of creating tablets from tomato ketchup and suggested treating diarrhea and jaundice with them. After this, many doctors began to create similar tablets, but for infectious diseases, headaches, rheumatism and other diseases. The success did not last long. Soon the pills were falsified, using a regular laxative instead of ketchup. This caused a storm of negative reviews, and sales of these tablets began to decrease, and then completely disappeared.

The use of tomato ketchup is not limited to cooking. Due to the fact that it contains tomatoes and vinegar, it can serve as an excellent polishing and cleaning agent for metal products. It is ideal for cleaning copper utensils from tarnish and for caring for products made of brass, silver and steel.

Tomato ketchup is a very tasty and interesting product. It is used in almost every corner of the world. It fills dishes with rich taste and gives them a special uniqueness. In addition, ketchup has beneficial properties, which we will discuss in detail below.

Benefits and harms

The benefits of natural tomato ketchup are not very great. But still it contains a large number of various useful substances and vitamins. It also contains the pigment lycopene, which gives vegetables their red color. It has anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects, reduces the risk of developing heart disease. With any temperature treatment, the amount of this component in the composition of tomato ketchup does not decrease, but, on the contrary, increases. The longer the processing process lasts, the greater its content will be.

Serotonin is also present in natural tomato ketchup. It is also called the “hormone of happiness.” It is an excellent antidepressant and can cure nervous disorders.

Tomato ketchup, prepared in accordance with all standards, is very healthy. It has a preventive effect and helps reduce the risk of developing cancer cells.

However, tomato ketchup can cause harm. Due to the various spices it contains, it may cause an allergic reaction. The use of this product is contraindicated for pregnant women and children, because an allergic reaction may develop.

People with problems with the digestive tract are prohibited from using this product. Its use can cause exacerbation of gastritis, heartburn and ulcers. Even a healthy person, consuming large quantities of tomato ketchup, can provoke the appearance of diseases of the digestive system.

In the male population, the use of tomato ketchup can cause complications with reproductive function. French scientists have conducted studies that have proven that tomato concentrate contains the largest amount of dangerous substances that affect spermatogenesis. Therefore, families wishing to have children should stop using this product.

Consuming this low quality product is very dangerous. It contains a large amount of sugar and various concentrates, which makes tomato ketchup very high in calories. They have a very bad effect on the metabolic process. Therefore, it is better for overweight people to avoid using this sauce.

Before using tomato ketchup, you should consult your doctor. You may have an intolerance to some of the ingredients in ketchup.

If you just can’t refuse to use tomato ketchup, then when purchasing, be sure to read its composition so that it does not contain harmful substances, and it is best to make your own homemade tomato ketchup. We will tell you how to do this below..

How to choose the right tomato ketchup?

“How to choose the right tomato ketchup?” - this question interests many fans of this product. The shelves of supermarkets and shops are filled with a huge number of ketchups from different manufacturers, in different containers and with different compositions. What you need to pay attention to first of all when buying tomato ketchup, we will tell you below:

When choosing between transparent and closed packaging, it is better to give preference to transparent and preferably glass. Ketchup in such packaging is perfectly stored, and at the same time you can examine its consistency.
By external signs, tomato ketchup should be red or brownish (see photo), but if it has a bright pink color, then this indicates that it contains a large number of various stabilizers and food colorings.
Good quality ketchup should be quite thick. It may contain small particles of tomatoes, vegetables and spices.
If air bubbles are observed in tomato ketchup, this indicates that the production process has been disrupted and fermentation has begun.
Be sure to pay special attention to the production date and composition.
The ketchup category must also be indicated on the packaging. The content of extra-class tomato ketchup must contain at least 40% tomato paste, and in the highest category - 30%. The first and second categories, that is, economy class products, must contain at least 15% tomatoes.
Natural ketchup should contain only tomatoes or tomato paste, salt, water and spices. If the ingredients are small, this indicates a good quality product.
High-quality tomato ketchup is produced during the completion of the tomato paste manufacturing process. Accordingly, ketchup should be produced in summer or autumn. If a different time period is indicated, this indicates that the quality of this ketchup is questionable.

How to make ketchup at home?

How to make tomato ketchup at home? How many and what ingredients are needed for this? How long will this process take? These and many other questions interest most housewives who want to make this sauce with their own hands for the first time. Below we will try to fully describe all the details of this process.

Making homemade tomato ketchup will require a lot of time and effort, but the result will exceed all expectations. To make a good natural sauce, you need to consider a few tips:

It is best to use tomatoes grown in garden beds rather than in a greenhouse. They are meatier and more flavorful.
It is not recommended to use overripe or green tomatoes, as they can spoil the taste of tomato ketchup.
When using additional ingredients such as plums or apples, special attention must be paid to their quality, as they may be wormy or rotten.
All components of ketchup must be very well ground. To do this, you can use a meat grinder, a sieve or other grinding kitchen appliances.

There are a wide variety of recipes for making tomato ketchup at home. It is prepared with the addition of tomato paste, apples, plums, zucchini, tomato juice, apricots and even starch. Below are recipes for preparing some varieties of tomato ketchup at home.

Name	Cooking method
Georgian	The recipe for this type of tomato ketchup is quite simple, but requires a large number of ingredients. To prepare Georgian ketchup, you need to boil 10 liters of homemade seedless tomato juice over high heat without covering. After boiling, 2/3 of the original volume of juice should remain. Add 80 grams of salt, half a kilogram of sugar, 14 grams of ground black pepper, 3 grams of ground cinnamon, 7 grams of ground red pepper, 10-16 cloves, 5-6 chopped garlic cloves and cook the ketchup for 10 minutes. Then add 250 grams of wine vinegar and turn off the heat. Georgian ketchup is ready. It is recommended to use it cold.
Tomato and onion ketchup	To prepare tomato-onion ketchup, you need to chop 200 grams of onions, chop 3.5 kilograms of tomatoes and grind well through a sieve. Place the resulting puree on low heat and boil. In cheesecloth, mix ½ teaspoon of celery seeds, a little (to taste) cinnamon, 7 grams of pepper and, wrapping the cheesecloth, drop the spices into the boiling mixture. Then add 20 grams of salt, 150 grams of vinegar and sugar (to taste). Boil all ingredients for 10 minutes. After the time has passed, remove the spices and cool the ketchup.
	Not everyone will like spicy tomato ketchup, but those who like to treat themselves to something spicy will be very pleased. To prepare this ketchup, you need to chop 2.5 kilograms of tomatoes, chop 0.5 kilograms of onions and steam them in a container under a closed lid over low heat. Then grind the vegetables through a sieve. Heat one and a half glasses of vinegar over low heat, add 2 bay leaves, 5 black peppercorns, 3 juniper berries, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Gently pour the cooled mixture into the tomato-onion puree and boil by a third over low heat. Then add two glasses of sugar, 40 grams of mustard, salt (to taste) and boil all the ingredients for another 10 minutes. Then remove the finished ketchup from the heat and cool.
Tomato ketchup for the winter	Preparing tomato ketchup for the winter does not take much time. To prepare it, you need to peel five kilograms of tomatoes, 300 grams of bell peppers, cut the tomatoes, peppers and half a kilogram of onions into large pieces, grind them using a meat grinder and mix. Add 40 grams of salt, a glass of sugar to the vegetables, mix, place on the fire, bring to a boil and boil for half an hour. Then add 14 grams of chili pepper to the ketchup and continue cooking until we get the desired thickness. Then add 125 grams of vinegar, mix thoroughly, bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Pour hot ketchup into pre-sterilized jars and close with airtight lids.

The uses of tomato ketchup are very diverse. It is added when canning, especially cucumbers, and various dishes are prepared with its addition, for example, borscht or chicken baked in tomato ketchup with cream. Tomato ketchup is an indispensable addition to barbecue. Many people replace ketchup with tomato paste, adding various spices to it. Natural ketchup is still better than one made from tomato paste, since the paste may contain thickeners and other harmful components.

Quite a large number of recipes exist for making your own tomato ketchup at home. Everyone can choose one that suits their taste or independently diversify an existing recipe with any ingredients, taking into account their gastronomic preferences. Some gourmets make tomato juice from good tomato ketchup. To do this, they simply dilute ketchup with water. Others use tomato paste for this. But this is no substitute for natural juice.

Ketchup is probably the most popular sauce. We use it to prepare various dishes, and also serve it with ready-made snacks and salads. Due to the fact that ketchup consists only of natural ingredients, it is considered a safe product for humans. But do all manufacturers prepare their products without the use of preservatives and other dangerous additives? And what are the health benefits and harms of ketchup today?

What is ketchup made from?

Regular ketchup contains water, tomatoes and spices. The main ingredient of ketchup is tomatoes. They are used both in puree and paste form. The tomatoes are sorted, thoroughly washed and chopped. After which they are heated to a temperature of 95 degrees, and to separate them from the peel and grains they are passed through a sieve. Then proceed to the next stage, evaporate the tomatoes until a puree or paste is formed. The thickness of the final product will depend on the duration of the operation.

Typically, ketchup prepared using natural products, classified as “extra” or “premium”, the proportion of fresh tomatoes should be 40% of the total mass. Ketchup of the “highest” category should consist of 30% natural tomatoes, and paste of “economy class” should consist of 15% or less. Quite often, apple, plum or beet puree is added to pasta to compensate for the lack of tomatoes. In this case, these additives are used together with starch, gum and flour to give the product the necessary thickness. And this can already be harmful to health, because usually they use non-natural gum and starch, but those obtained by chemical means. Often, inexpensive ketchups contain citric or acetic acid as a natural acid in tomatoes.

Water plays an important role in the production of ketchup. However, we cannot find out what kind of water producers use and how environmentally friendly it is, so we have to rely only on the conscience of the producing companies.

Today it is difficult to imagine ketchup that does not contain various additives and seasonings. And this is simply a huge benefit for housewives. After all, garlic, onions, hot and bell peppers, mushrooms, and herbs included in the paste simplify the cooking process and make our dishes rich and aromatic. However, most ketchups are produced using preservatives, flavors, and stabilizers, but their content in the product should be kept to a minimum so as not to harm humans.

Health benefits of ketchup

Ketchup, the production of which followed all the rules and regulations, which was prepared only from natural tomatoes, spices, peppers, contains the pigment lycopene, a red substance. This pigment is what makes vegetables red. It is known as an antitumor substance and is also characterized by its ability to reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases.

It should be noted that lycopene is not destroyed during heat treatment, like most vitamins. In addition, the amount of lycopene only increases when heated. When heated for 15 minutes, the concentration of this substance increases approximately 1.5 times.

Ketchup is rich in vitamins K, PP, P, it contains everything belonging to group B, ascorbic acid, which is contained in almost the same amount as in oranges. The health benefits of this product lie in the large amounts of magnesium, iron, calcium, and phosphorus included in its composition, which can be preserved under the influence of temperatures.

Another useful property of ketchup is the presence of the “joy hormone” - serotnin. Therefore, this product can be considered a very good antidepressant.

The harm of ketchup

Low-quality ketchup, especially products with artificial colors, can lead to the following problems in humans:

The occurrence of allergies;

Exacerbation of stomach and intestinal diseases;

Pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas.

You should know moderation in everything. People who are prone to obesity and have metabolic problems should use ketchup especially carefully. Containing dyes, flavors, and modified starch can cause even greater harm.

How to choose ketchup?

Often price is directly related to quality. Therefore, if you want to purchase a good quality product, do not skimp. The pursuit of cheapness can harm not only you, but also your children. Unfortunately, today most domestically produced ketchups belong to the “economy class”; in such products the share of natural ingredients does not exceed 15%.