A health expert has warned of the shocking amount of sugar found in tomato ketchup (stock image) (Image: Getty)
A expert has issued a stark caution concerning the dangers of over-indulging in , revealing in a video the surprising sugar content found within each bottle.
Utilising popular brand Heinz for demonstration, British user Sunna van Kampen, founder of Tonic Health (@tonichealth), picked up a 700g bottle of the iconic sauce and posed the challenge to his 394,000 followers: “Ever checked how much sugar is in a bottle of Heinz ketchup?”
“It’s pretty shocking,” he added. “Time to look twice at what we’re adding to our plates.” Moving further with his warning, Sunna set up kitchen scales and proceeded to compare the sugar content by counting out sugar cubes until they weighed the same as the sugar in the ketchup bottle.
He warned his audience: “I’m going to show how that looks because that is 39 teaspoons of sugar. That is so much that you’re adding into your diet on a daily basis without you even knowing.”
And emphasising his point further, Sunna illustrated to his viewers the sheer volume of sugar in isolation, devoid of the other ingredients typically found in bottles of the condiment. “It’s actually 159 grams of sugar,” he highlighted – representing close to 23% of the bottle’s total mass.
In conclusion, he offered some prudent advice: “It’s not a good thing to add to your food. Find one without the added sugar – there are options out there.” Followers were quick to react with one commenting: “Shocking,” another succinctly posted: “No!” while a third said: “Leave the ketchup alone!”
Others brished off his advice, however, with one user stating: “That’s fine, we only have a bit at a time, not the whole bottle.” Another agreed, saying: “But you don’t consume the whole bottle you have a small amount of sauce.”
A third chimed in: “This amount of sugar over a few weeks not daily. Big difference.” Meanwhile, a fourth person pointed out: “But I’m only putting on a teaspoon, or two on my dinner, not the whole tub!”
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Heinz also offers a No Added Salt and Sugar version of its iconic sauce, boasting 50% less sugar and salt than the standard bottle. The website promotes: “Try 50% Less Sugar & Salt (with sweetener from natural source) or Organic Tomato Ketchup – all with the irresistible Heinz taste you know and love!”
It adds of the product: “Now enjoy the irresistible taste of Heinz Tomato Ketchup with No Added Sugar & Salt – a healthier alternative for those looking to remove added sugar & salt completely from foods. With absolutely no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, no other ketchup tastes quite like it.”
Heinz has been approached for comment.