Ketchup could take the title of the most popular sauce in the world. If you are a lover of this dressing and you cannot imagine your dishes without it, you must be careful when consuming it. 

It turns out that ketchup can cause multiple side effects, including weight gain and heartburn.

As Priya Palan, Indian dietitian at Zen Multi-Specialty Hospital explains, ketchup is packed with unhealthy substances like sugar, salt, spices, and high fructose corn syrup.

You must be careful with the intake of sucrose and sodium and read the list of ingredients and all the nutritional information well before adding tomato sauce to your diet, the specialist warned.

The dietitian mentioned numerous risks associated with consuming ketchup, such as high blood pressure, mineral imbalances, and inflammation. But it is not all. Below you will find other health problems that this product can cause.

Poor immune system

A nutrient-dense food provides protective micronutrients and helps strengthen immunity. However, ketchup is low in nutritional value and contains no protein or fiber.

Heart disease

Consuming too much food with high fructose corn syrup is linked to high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood that causes heart problems.

Obesity and insulin resistance

Eating a lot of sugar can make you gain weight. In addition, when excess glucose reduces the ability of cells to absorb and use blood sugar, insulin resistance occurs.

“Excessive consumption of foods with fructose corn syrups are related to increased risk of obesity, insulin resistance, high triglycerides and fatty liver diseases. One must watch out for sugar and sodium intake, read the ingredient list and nutrition facts well, before adding ketchup. That’s because it can cause clinical conditions such as high blood pressure and mineral imbalances,” warned Palan quoted by the Hindustan Times.

Heartburn and heartburn

“Tomato ketchup, being an acidic food, due to the presence of acids such as malic acid and citric acid can trigger acidity and heartburn. Thus, those who have digestive problems such as digestive stress or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) should avoid tomato ketchup,” suggests the nutritionist.

Joint problems

Processed and canned foods are linked to a risk of inflammation, which, in turn, could lead to joint problems.

Kidney diseases

Processed and high-sodium foods raise the level of calcium in your urine, which can increase the chance of developing kidney stones.

Allergies

Tomatoes, the most important components of ketchup, are rich in histamines and can trigger allergic reactions such as sneezing and even breathing difficulties.

Therefore, it is better that you think twice before adding this unhealthy food to your dishes.

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