Did you know that most commercial ketchups have more sugar per cup than ice cream? This is often because high fructose corn syrup is used as a sweetener (which has been linked to many health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, high triglyceride levels and obesity. Wouldn’t you like a healthier alternative? I’ve found it only takes a few minutes to put one together. You don’t even need a blender.
I use this ketchup in a wide variety of HealthBites recipes. It’s great with baked fries, veggie burgers, sloppy joes and many more. If kept in an airtight container, it will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, though it never does at my house. We’ve usually gobbled it up before then.
As a health coach, I also think of my heart whenever I make some ketchup. It’s an easy way to get a dose of lycopene, which is so great for heart health. Lycopene is what makes tomatoes red. It’s also a powerful antioxidant that prevents plaques from building up in your arteries, lowers cholesterol in the blood, and improves the function of the endothelial cells which line our arteries and veins. Studies have shown that as lycopene goes up, our risk for heart attacks and strokes go down.
HealthBites Ketchup is another one of our favorite foods that love us right back!
Health Bites Ketchup
Ingredients
- 6 ounces of tomato paste
- 2 T lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt or salt substitute
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp basil
Instructions
- Combine the tomato paste, lemon juice and water in a small bowl. Mix together until the liquids are blended into the tomatoes. Stir in the honey. Then add the remaining ingredients. Stir until well blended. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
