Is There Such Thing As Healthy Ketchup?

Is ketchup healthy or unhealthy?

So, is ketchup healthy? ‘Like with most foods, I wouldn’t say it was inherently healthy or unhealthy. It’s not exactly counted as one of your five a day (at least in the UK), but having some ketchup on your chips every now and again won’t do you any harm in the long run,’ says Jess English, a dietitian and founder of Level Up Nutrition.

The amount of sugar in ketchup depends entirely on the brand and whether you choose a reduced sugar variety. ‘The UK’s most popular ketchup (Heinz) contains around 23g of sugar per 100g. This is made up of both naturally occurring and added sugars,’ says Jess. ‘So, the average squirt works out at about 4g of sugar.

There are not many zero sugar ketchup brands on the market, and many contain hidden sugars. ‘You could try making your own, or check the labels for no-added-sugar varieties,’ says Jess. ‘Heinz do one [as do Hunter & Gather – see our recommendations below] though it’s made with a sweetener, which might not be tolerated well by everybody.’