I know tomatoes come in your mind when you think of ketchup. You will be amazed to know that it is mainly a food ingredient instead of a condiment. It, ketchup, enhances the flavour of your chicken tikka to the Maggi bowl. Scroll down the page to know such interesting facts about ketchup.
- Ketchup had no tomatoes in early days while we know tomato as its main ingredient. It was made using shallots, anchovies, lemons, oysters or walnuts.
- What we use as a condiment was initially a food ingredient. In early days, it was chiefly used as an ingredient in non-vegetarian dishes made using meat or fish and vegetarian dishes like pies.
- Many recent studies state that ketchup is good for heart health and reduces the risk of getting affected with certain cancers. Rich in lycopene, ketchup slows down cell damage and inflammation due to free radicals.
- Featured in the 2009 Guinness World Record Book, the largest packet of ketchup was made by the people of Collinsville, Illinois.
- It is a multipurpose condiment and is used in several desserts and beverages. For lying, use Canadian ketchup cake.
- Industry experts state that ripe tomatoes are used to prepare ketchup only in summer.
- It is rich in nutritional elements. The nutritional value of 4 tablespoons is equal to a medium tomato.
- Ketchup works like an effective cleaner. Due to the presence of vinegar and tomatoes, it is an expensive polisher and cleanser for metals.
- It was expensive in the early days and the people have to pay a huge price for it while we get sachets at reasonable prices these days.
- All of us know four basic flavours – bitter, sour, salty and sweet. Now, our flavour collection list has new addition, umami. Ketchup has all these five tastes and hence, we say it as 5 tastes in one.