Once you decide to go keto, there are a lot of dos and don’ts that come with keto dieting right. Most fruits, whole grains and processed foods are a no-no, which may seem like a bummer at first. But once you start reaping the benefits of your keto diet, all these dietary restrictions are worth your while.
Ketchup is one of the condiments that are not allowed on a ketogenic diet. Which makes you wonder, is ketchup keto friendly? Why are we told not to eat ketchup while on a ketogenic diet? Most importantly what are the rules of keto that disqualify ketchup as keto-friendly?
In this article, you will learn what a keto diet is, the nutrition facts of ketchup, the net carbs per serving, whether ketchup is keto friendly and how to make sugar free ketchup recipe that is good on keto. Shall we?
What Is a Keto Diet?
A keto diet is a high fat, moderate protein and low carb diet that is followed for weight loss, to regulate blood sugar and for preventive treatment of migraines and mild cognitive impairments (MCI) like Alzheimer’s disease.
Keto foods are low carb and high in fat to trigger the process of fat breakdown for fuel when glucose in the body is inadequate. The recommended carb intake while on a keto diet is 20g to 50g of carbs per day. Most condiments are prohibited on a keto diet because one of their ingredients, a sweetener contains added sugar that can stop fat breakdown.
What Is Ketchup?
Ketchup is a condiment with sweet and sour tastes and a thick and smooth texture. The regular ketchup is made from simple ingredients: red ripe tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, spices, sea salt and spices like onion powder and garlic powder. It’s because of vinegar that ketchup tastes tangy. Ketchup can be used as a base or ingredient for dressings and sauces and as a substitute for tomato paste because it is also equally as concentrated.
Is Ketchup and Tomato Sauce the Same Thing?
Now that we are here, it is important to address the elephant in the room. Is tomato ketchup and sauce the same thing? Yes, I know it can get confusing for most people, that’s why I am clarifying it.
The main difference between ketchup and sauce is in the ingredients used. Ketchup, as I earlier mentioned, is made from vinegar, tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, sea salt and spices. On the other hand sauce is made from oil like avocado oil, canola oil or olive oil, preferred stock, tomatoes and sea salt and spices like pepper. Unlike ketchup, sauce does not contain vinegar.
Sauce does not contain sugar while ketchup contains a specific sweetener and sweet spices for flavour. The consistency is also a distinct difference between sauce and ketchup, the former is thin while the latter is thick.
What Is Ketchup’s Nutritional Information?
Whenever you buy ketchup from your local grocery store, do you check the back of the bottle to see the nutrition facts? No? I’ll tell you what is probably written on them. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, I tablespoon of ketchup contains:
- 17.2 kcals
- 4.66g total carbs, 4g net carbs
- o.16g of protein
- 0.05g of dietary fiber
- 3.62g of sugar
- 0.017g of fat
- 154mg of sodium
- 0.697 vitamin C
From these numbers, you can see that ketchup is high in sugars and low in dietary fibers and carbs.
Is Ketchup Keto Friendly?
From the nutritional information mentioned above, is ketchup keto-friendly? Your regular store-bought ketchup is not keto-friendly. This is because it is high in added sugar from sweeteners like sucralose and most of them are made from artificial ingredients instead of organic ones. A study on mice showed that sucralose caused an imbalance in gut microbiome which further led to liver inflammation.
Moreover, preservatives are added to these ketchups to increase their shelf life.
Will Ketchup Kick Me Out of Ketosis?
Yes. Because ketchup is made from high fructose corn syrup and added sugar, it will kick you out of ketosis. Ketone production is triggered when there is inadequate blood glucose, and glycogen stores are low.
Eating ketchup introduces sugar into the blood, which is the body’s preferred source of fuel for energy. Once there is adequate blood sugar, the body stops breaking down fats and uses glucose as the primary source of energy. This is why ketchup is not allowed when you eat keto.
What Is the Lowest Carb Ketchup?
If you must have your food with ketchup, yet you are cutting sugars, I have good news for you. There are low carb ketchup sugar free versions alternatives in the market that you can use while on low carb diet. Heinz has a keto-friendly, sugar free version for our keto dieters. One tablespoon of Heinz keto ketchup recipe contains 1g net carbs, 0g of fats, 0g protein and 10 kcals.
Primal Kitchen also has a paleo and sugar free keto ketchup in the market that can be consumed by vegans and people on a gluten-free diet. The sugar free ketchup does not contain any sweetener and is low carb. In one tablespoon of Primal Kitchen Unsweetened sugar free ketchup, you will get 10 calories, 2g total carbs and 1g net carbs, 0g protein.
Preservatives can cause hypersensitivity, allergic reactions, asthma, and cancer. To avoid these negative side effects of preservatives, consider homemade ketchup that is low-carb. With homemade sugar free ketchup, you can ensure that all the ingredients you use for your recipe are organic and you can use a low carb sweetener for added sugar.
Homemade Sugar Free Ketchup Recipe
Homemade keto ketchup is healthier than store bought ketchup because you have more control of the ingredients you will use for your sugar free ketchup recipe. It is also more affordable following this recipe to make your own ketchup than buying one from the store. Keto-friendly ketchup maybe healthy but they cost an arm and a leg, so it is cheaper getting your own ingredients and making the low carb ketchup.
This low carb ketchup recipe is easy to make and definitely more delicious because of the natural flavours from organic ingredients. Some people find normal ketchup too sweet due to the added sugars, but keto ketchup is sugar free so that is sorted! Here’s the recipe, let’s cook!
Sugar Free Keto Ketchup Recipe
This keto ketchup is made with low carb ingredients. This recipe can be used as a dipping sauce or as a tomato paste alternative when cooking. The most popular recipes for this keto ketchup recipe are made with simple from your local store.
How To Make Sugar Free Keto Ketchup
Keto ketchup recipes follow three major steps:
- Whisking all the ingredients on a small saucepan for an even mixture
- Simmer the mixture on low heat, stirring until the sugar free ketchup thickens.
- Strain your sugar free ketchup to remove any solids.
Ingredients
- 3 oz Tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup white vinegar/distilled vinegar
- Low carb sweetener (Monk fruit sweetener is a good choice)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- Sea salt to taste.
- 1 teaspoon cloves
Method
- To start preparing your keto ketchup, in your medium saucepan, add tomato paste, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, water and sea salt. Then whisk to combine.
- Heat on medium heat and simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remember to occasionally stir the mixture to prevent it from sticking on the pan. Cook for 30 minutes.
- If the mixture is too thin, simmer for another 10 minutes. Yu can add more salt or spices to achieve preferred taste.
- Turn off heat and allow to cool.
Other than homemade ketchup, there are low carb options that you can eat as keto condiments to increase production of ketones.
What Condiments Are Keto-Friendly?
Condiment recipes are very flexible, they can be made as dips, toppings, and marinades. You can have the following condiments on keto:
- Mustard
- Ghee
- Mayonnaise
- Hot sauce
Homemade condiment recipes are better than store bought ones. Use healthy oils like avocado oil when making your dips and dressings.
Can You Have Mayonnaise on Keto?
Mayonnaise is high in fats, low carb and low in proteins. Pick mayo that does not have added sugar and is made with healthy oils. You should avoid mayonnaise that are high in carbs. If you are interested in making your own homemade mayo, all you need are egg yolks, canola oil or olive oil, white vinegar, and salt.
In Conclusion
Being on a keto diet doesn’t have to be boring. There are keto alternatives to your favourite condiments so keto dieting doesn’t have to be such a nightmare. When on a keto diet, avoid the regular ketchups that are high in added sugar because they will stop fats metabolism. You are better off using our homemade ketchup recipe to make low carb keto ketchup.
Have you tried out our recipe to make your homemade keto ketchup? Do you prefer it to regular ketchup? Drop recipes you use to make your own condiments down in the comment section. Help build your fellow keto dieter’s keto recipe portfolio. Stay keto!
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