We all grew up eating fries with ketchup. It isn’t really what one would call a healthy condiment, but some people just can’t do without it daily. On the bright side, there are some healthy versions of ketchup that you can make right at home. With these on hands, you’d have a much better taste experience along with the nutrients of natural ingredients. Read on below to see which one is the easiest for you to make right away:
1. 2-Minute Ketchup
This ketchup uses easy ingredients that you may already have available in your pantry. These include maple syrup, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, salt, etc. You can also add onion powder and oregano for a more savory, complex taste.
Once you have the ingredients assembled, the total time for this recipe is just two minutes. It’s a vegan and gluten-free option that you just have to mix in a bowl. There’s no cooking or even blending involved, so you may easily whip this up just before your party starts.
2. Easy Ketchu
This recipe also uses tomato paste and maple syrup but changes things up with garlic powder, white vinegar, cinnamon, and even pepper. You can also add chili powder or grated nutmeg for even more variety. These would add a spicy effect to your ketchup, so add them at the end if you prefer.
The whole thing requires some blending to get that smooth texture. However, the process itself involves just three easy steps. The result would last in the fridge for up to a week if you put it in an airtight jar.
3. Blender Ketchup
This recipe would require a blender and yields around 1.5 cups of homemade ketchup. It would take some cooking after you blend it, so the whole method would take around 45 minutes. Transfer it onto the stove to boil after pureeing the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and other ingredients in the blender. This would make sure everything combines perfectly and gives a smooth look.
For a complex taste and healthy nutrients, the recipe makes use of garlic cloves, yellow mustard powder, and apple cider vinegar. You can also add arrowroot powder to thicken up the concoction if it’s too runny.
The best part of this ketchup is that it’s cooked, so you can be sure there are no stray bacteria around to make you ill. This also means that the resulting paste has a longer fridge life. If you store it in an airtight container, it will keep in the fridge for up to a month.
4. Simple Homemade Ketchup
This ketchup recipe is so simple that even your kids can pitch in to help. This will give them a sense of independence and responsibility in the kitchen. Plus, this version is much healthier than the kind you buy in stores, so you’ll get your kids interested in cleaner eating. Once they get the hang of it, you may simply ask them to make a new batch if they want some ketchup at any time. The total time for this recipe is only 5 minutes. It’s also gluten-free, so any related allergies are accounted for. An added bonus here is that the recipe uses fermented whey or vegetable brine. This makes for a great taste along with a natural preservative. The result is that this homemade condiment can last a few months in the refrigerator.
5. Healthy Keto Ketchup
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The keto diet takes away most of our everyday food items, but keto versions of condiments are always available. However, it can get expensive to keep purchasing special versions of keto ketchup, so this method will tell you how to make yours at home.
Overall, the method for this keto ketchup takes around 15 minutes. This isn’t much effort, especially considering that you’re getting a great sauce to give your food an added kick. When it’s all done, you’d have around 2 cups or one medium jar of ketchup to keep for all your meals. One serving here is a tablespoon, which contains just 1.1 carbs.
The recipe uses a few drops of Stevia and another low-carb sweetener such as Swerve to sweeten up this ketchup. There’s also fruit vinegar, which gives a tangy taste as well as some sweetness. Instead of regular salt, you’d also use the Himalayan variety.
6. 5-Minute ketchup
This 5-minute recipe takes an additional 2 hours to let all the flavors blend together. However, you wouldn’t have to do anything other than letting it sit for two hours, so this is stills a 5-minute process. The yield here is a good 4 cups, so you’d have enough to go around at a dinner party.
To thicken up the paste, you can use a teaspoon of chia seeds. This is an optional addition, but it would add a lot of nutrients to your final result. The recipe also uses organic tomato paste and a few ethnic spices to give a decent taste.
7. Quick Ketchup
This is a quick ketchup recipe, but it requires cooking instead of blending. Such a method might b preferable to those who don’t have such appliances or prefer a cooked version to kill off bacteria.
All you have to do is combine some tomato paste, white wine vinegar, raw honey, onion and garlic powder, and some salt into a saucepan. You should heat it up on the stove and whisk it until it’s all combined. You can add some more honey if you want a sweeter result. Make sure it’s all cooled down before placing it in an airtight jar.
8. Sugar-Free Organic Ketchup
Most people have an issue with ketchup because it contains a high amount of sugar. In fact, the calories in a tablespoon of ketchup and a tablespoon of sugar are around the same if you get the store condiment. However, this sugar-free, homemade version of ketchup would give you a much healthier option.
This recipe calls for a jar of organic tomato paste with no added ingredients or sodium. Alternatively, it also allows you to roast your own tomatoes and puree for the best final taste. The sweetening option is a dried date after soaking or a few drops of liquid Stevia. Raw apple cider vinegar, pink sea salt, paprika, and a bit of pepper finish off the ingredient list. Once you’ve drained the tomatoes, all you need to do is blend everything together.
9. Low-Carb Tomato Ketchup
Since the keto diet is a bit difficult to handle, many people substitute it with a low-carb diet. This means that they cut back on the carbs that they take in, which includes sugar. Fortunately, this homemade ketchup ensures that followers of this diet have an alternative on hand. This would make their meals more interesting and delectable.
Here, the whole method takes about 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. It uses a combination of tomato puree and pastes, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, garlic cloves, and a variety of other ingredients for an interesting taste. Like the keto ketchup, it also uses a low-carb sweetener to make an authentic ketchup taste.
10. Healthy Ketchup Version
This is another version of healthy ketchup, with only 15 calories in a tablespoon and no fat at all. However, it does have 3 grams of carbs, so those on keto or low-carb diets should be wary. It also doesn’t use apple cider vinegar, so this option is good for those without that particular ingredient.
This recipe calls for some molasses as a sweetener for a unique taste. If you don’t have these, honey is just as good. It also tells you to add a tablespoon of mustard for added flavor. You don’t have to cook anything here, either. Simply blend all the ingredients until you have the consistency required.
Reasons why ketchup is good for you
1. Helps Decrease the Risk of Developing Prostate Cancer
According to a study done on 47,000 men, eating tomato sauce or ketchup two or more times per week reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer in men by 20%. This is because lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes, helps decrease cancer risk.
2. Reduces Sunburns
Even though tomatoes are not a replacement for sunscreen, the fruit’s lycopene content may have a curing and healing effect to it. That is why eating tomatoes can provide some protection against UV-induced erythema or sunburn.
According to a 2013 study, people’s sensitivity to UV radiation decreased after 10 to 12 weeks of ingesting lycopene or tomato products rich in lycopene. However, it is still unclear whether or not you can get the benefits of applying tomatoes tropically on your skin.
3. Reduces the Risk of Developing Cardiovascular Diseases
Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is also linked to a lower risk of heart disease. A study proves that lycopene supplements can improve endothelial function in patients with cardiovascular disease but not in healthy volunteers.
However, the ingredients and the nutrients added in ketchup also matter and hence need to be considered; that is why it is unclear whether or not those who consume commercially available ketchup in typical amounts would benefit from this.
4. Reduces Levels Of Cholesterol
According to a research article, the benefit of consuming ketchup is that it helps in reducing LDL cholesterol levels. The LDL cholesterol, commonly known as bad cholesterol, is the primary source of cholesterol build-up and blockage in the arteries. In other words, having too much of this stuff is terrible. Fortunately, ketchup can provide a quick but effective fix.
5. Improves Vision
According to a study, tomato ketchup is rich in vitamin A, which helps improve eyesight. So, if you are looking for a way to improve your vision, you should increase the consumption of foods rich in vitamin A. Tomatoes also help improve the immune system and are rich in vitamin C, which leads to a healthy and slim body.
6. Adds Flavor
Besides its health benefits, tomato ketchup can make even a s tasting dish taste better because it is undeniably delicious and can add to the flavors of anything. If you have children and find it difficult to feed them healthy foods, try adding some ketchup; they’ll love it and eat anything that contains it.
Conclusion
When you’re making any homemade ketchup, it’s recommended that you use glass containers instead of plastic. The plastic will probably stain easily and contain chemicals that the acidic ketchup will leach. This would affect the taste of the condiment and will obviously be an adverse health factor. All in all, make sure you use organic, natural ingredients whenever possible.