You made the switch to a plant-based diet. Kudos to you. You probably already know that ketchup is the best way to bring a dry veggie burger back to life. It’s the sticky sauce that can make any sandwich or basket of fries come to life. But is ketchup vegan? The truth is more complicated than you might think.
The answer is yes—sometimes. Pepper, salt, vinegar, and some kind of sweetener, like sugar or high fructose corn syrup, are what make up most ketchups. The sugar is where things can get hairy. Too bad not all sugar is vegan. A lot of white sugar is bleached by running it through animal bone char. Bone char is a black, porous material made from charred animal bones, namely cattle. The bone char acts as a decolorizing filter for raw sugar. America’s Test Kitchen says that reading the ingredients on a bottle is not enough to figure out how the sugar in a product is made. Some companies have switched to granular carbon.
We know what you’re thinking: What about brown sugar? Adding molasses to white sugar makes brown sugar the same, unless it’s organic chocolate brown sugar. So, if you’re a strict vegan, ketchups made with conventional sugar can be a no-go. As an aside, PETA says that worrying about tiny ingredients in food can make veganism look hard to people who aren’t vegan, which could hurt the cause in the long run. ) In addition, ketchups sweetened with honey also aren’t vegan, since honey comes from bees.
Organic brown sugar, white sugar, and confectioners’ sugar are never made with bone char, so ketchups made with them are vegan. If you want to be safe, look for organic sugar in the bottle the next time you go shopping. Or, stick to vegan brands. Speaking of….
Ketchup is one of the most popular condiments in the world, adding flavor and excitement to foods like fries burgers hot dogs, eggs, and more. But if you avoid pork for religious, ethical, or health reasons, you may be wondering – does ketchup have pork in it?
The short answer is sometimes. While ketchup recipes can vary between brands, some ketchups contain an ingredient called natural flavoring that may be derived from pork. However, there are also many widely available pork-free ketchup options.
We will talk about the ingredients in different kinds of ketchup and help you figure out which ones don’t contain pork.
A Brief History of Ketchup
Let’s start with a quick history lesson. The earliest known ketchups originated in China in the 17th century and were more similar to soy sauce or fish sauce than our modern tomato ketchups These Asian ketchups were brought over to Europe by British explorers and merchants
James Mease wrote the first tomato ketchup recipe in the United States and put it out in 1812 in his book “Archives of Useful Knowledge.” When Mease made his recipe, he mixed tomato juice with horseradish, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, mace, and nutmeg.
It wasn’t until the late 19th century that tomato ketchup as we know it today was created. In 1876 the H.J. Heinz company started selling tomato ketchup commercially and it quickly became one of the company’s flagship products.
Fast forward to today, and ketchup is one of the most popular condiments around. In fact, 97% of households in the United States have a bottle of ketchup in their refrigerator!
Do Most Ketchups Contain Pork?
The majority of mass-market ketchup brands do not contain pork. Store-brand ketchups and well-known brands like Heinz and Hunt’s usually have tomatoes, vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, salt, and spices in them.
However, there are some ketchups that contain pork-derived ingredients:
Natural Flavoring
One potential source of pork in ketchup is natural flavoring. Natural flavors can be derived from meat and pork is a common source.
If a ketchup contains “natural flavor” without specifying the source, it’s possible that natural flavoring came from pork. This would not be vegetarian, kosher, or halal.
According to Heinz, their natural flavoring comes from spices and vegetables. However, other brands may use pork-derived natural flavors.
Sugar Filtration
Some white sugars are filtered through bone char during processing. Bone char is made by charring animal bones, usually from cattle.
While the bone char does not end up in the finished sugar, some strict vegetarians avoid products made with this type of sugar. Bone char filtration is more common with conventional white sugar than organic.
Luckily, most major ketchup brands like Heinz and Hunt’s use corn syrup as a sweetener, not refined white sugar. So this is rarely an issue in commercial ketchups.
Gelatin
Gelatin, a common food additive, is made by boiling animal bones and tissues. Pork is a popular source of gelatin.
Thankfully, gelatin is not commonly used in ketchups. But it may be an additive in some niche ketchup recipes or products, so it’s something to watch out for.
Popular Ketchup Brands – Which Are Pork-Free?
If you’re trying to find a pork-free ketchup, your best bet is to go with a major national brand. Here are some of the top ketchups along with whether they contain pork:
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Heinz Ketchup – Does not contain pork. Heinz uses ingredients like tomatoes, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, salt, onion powder, and natural flavoring (from spices and vegetables).
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Hunt’s Ketchup – Does not contain pork. Hunt’s is made with tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, salt, and spices.
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Great Value Ketchup (Walmart brand) – Does not contain pork. Contains tomato concentrate, vinegar, corn syrup, and 2% or less of salt, onion powder, garlic powder, natural flavor.
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365 Everyday Value Organic Ketchup (Whole Foods brand) – Does not contain pork. Contains organic tomato paste, water, organic raw cane sugar, vinegar, sea salt, organic onion powder, organic garlic powder, natural flavor.
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Simply Heinz Ketchup – Does not contain pork. Contains tomato paste, vinegar, cane sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, natural flavor.
As you can see, all of these major brand name ketchups use very similar ingredients and do not contain pork. Your best bet is to go with one of these widely available national brands.
Some gourmet ketchups or artisanal recipes may contain non-vegetarian ingredients like gelatin or pork-derived natural flavors. But thankfully all of the mass-market ketchups are pork-free.
Religious Restrictions and Ketchup
Many religions place restrictions on certain food products, like pork. Here is a quick overview of how ketchup fits into different religious diets:
Kosher
Ketchup is generally considered kosher, though it depends on the specific ingredients. To be certified kosher, all ingredients must conform to kosher dietary laws. This means the ketchup cannot contain pork-derived gelatin or natural flavors.
Major brands like Heinz are certified kosher. Kosher consumers should look for a kosher certification symbol like OU, OK, KOF-K, or Star-K.
Halal
Halal dietary laws prohibit pork consumption similar to kosher practices. For ketchup to be halal certified, it must not contain pork-derived ingredients like gelatin or natural flavors.
Halal ketchup brands include Heinz, Hunt’s, Simply Heinz, and Great Value ketchup. No major ketchup brand uses pork derivatives.
Hindu Vegetarian
Most Hindus do not eat beef and many are lacto-vegetarian, avoiding meat and eggs. For a ketchup to be suitable for a Hindu vegetarian (follwing a lacto-vegetarian diet) diet, it must be free of beef, pork, meat, and egg derivatives like gelatin.
The major ketchup brands mentioned previously are Hindu vegetarian friendly.
Vegan
Vegans avoid all foods derived from animals, including dairy, eggs, meat, fish, etc. For a ketchup to be vegan, it cannot contain ingredients like honey, dairy, fish, eggs, or animal-derived gelatin.
Brands like Simply Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup are vegan certified since they avoid animal ingredients.
The Final Verdict on Pork in Ketchup
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Most major ketchup brands like Heinz, Hunt’s, Great Value, and Simply Heinz do NOT contain pork or pork byproducts.
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The main ingredients in traditional ketchup are tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or corn syrup, spices, and salt. None of these contain pork.
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Potential sources of pork in ketchup include bone char filtered sugar, gelatin, and natural flavors. However, these pork-based ingredients are very rarely used in mainstream ketchups.
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When shopping for ketchup, look for a recognizable national brand. Niche or artisanal ketchups are more likely to include non-vegetarian ingredients.
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Kosher, halal, Hindu vegetarian, or vegan consumers should look for ketchups certified for their dietary needs. Major brands like Heinz have kosher and halal certified ketchup varieties.
The bottom line – you don’t have to worry about most conventional ketchups containing pork. Stick to a trusted brand and check the ingredients list if you have any concerns. With so many pork-free options, you can enjoy your ketchup without compromise!
What Ketchup Brands Are Vegan?
Heinz Tomato Ketchup is the most famous ketchup, and it’s vegan because it’s made with plant-based ingredients and high fructose corn syrup, which is always vegan. Hunt’s Classic Tomato Ketchup is also vegan for the same reason. Heinz Simply Tomato Ketchup and Hunt’s 20100% Natural Tomato Ketchup, on the other hand, might not be completely vegan since they’re not organic and are sweetened with cane sugar that has been filtered through bone char. Target’s Market Pantry and Organic Simply Balanced ketchups are also vegan.
Organic picks, like Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup or Annie’s Naturals Organic Ketchup, are also vegan because they’re made with organic sugar. Sugar that’s certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture can’t be filtered through bone char.
Here are a few other popular vegan brands:
- 365 Everyday Value Organic Tomato Ketchup
- Tessemae’s Organic Ketchup
- Primal Kitchen Organic Unsweetened Ketchup
- Veg’d Organics Vegan All-Natural Ketchup
- True Made Foods Ketchup
- Westbrae Natural Organic Unsweetened Ketchup
- Sir Kensington’s Ketchup
- Fody Foods Vegan Tomato Ketchup
Here’s the thing: Being plant-based and vegan are two different things. You can eat meat and animal products even if you are mostly plant-based or flexitarian. In that case, ketchup is always plant-based since it’s mostly made from tomatoes, even if the sugar in it isn’t vegan.
Are There Animal Products in Ketchup?
If a ketchup is vegan, that means there are no animal products in it whatsoever. Unless it contains a sweetener like honey, it’s animal product-free. Granulated sugar bleached with bone char isn’t really an animal product, but strict vegans might not eat ketchup made with it.
Pork Parasites don’t like Pepsi!!
What is tomato ketchup?
The unmodified term (“ketchup”) now typically refers to tomato ketchup, although early recipes for various different varieties of ketchup contained mushrooms, oysters, mussels, egg whites, grapes or walnuts, among other ingredients. Tomato ketchup is made from tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar, with seasonings and spices.
What ingredients are in ketchup?
Ketchup recipes vary, but it’s made from a core set of ingredients including tomatoes, sugar, salt, and vinegar. This explains the sweet but tangy flavor it packs. Spices like allspice, cloves, coriander, and even cinnamon or ginger may be added too. Since it’s a basic tomato-based condiment, ketchup boasts a simple nutrition profile.
Is ketchup healthy?
Healthier versions of ketchup are low in sugar and salt, organic, and/or free of high fructose corn syrup. You can also try making your own ketchup at home or substituting another condiment like salsa in its place. Ketchup is a classic condiment that you may love with your sandwiches, burgers, french fries, and more.
What does ketchup taste like?
The ketchup adds sweetness, depth, and spark, as well as a unique red hue, to both. You know you’re at a real Kentucky barbecue when the coleslaw is red. One of ketchup’s virtues is that it is a little sweet; most versions contain sugar, honey, or corn syrup.