Considered the king of ketchup, Heinz is a household name because of its quality taste and premium ingredients.
Their standard ketchup is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, meaning you don’t have to worry about how their sugar is processed.
So, is Heinz ketchup vegan? I’ve discussed everything you need to learn and more!
Heinz Ketchup - Is It Vegan or Not?
Yes, Heinz tomato ketchup is considered vegan. Their ketchup products do not have cane sugar, meaning it doesn't have bone char.
If you’re looking for organic ketchup, Heinz organic tomato ketchup makes an excellent choice for strict vegans.
Stay away from non-vegan ketchup brands that use cane sugar as it may be filtered with bone char. Bone char consists of calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, and AC.
The reason why industries use bone char is that it’s a natural carbon. Sugar manufacturers use bone char as a decolorizing filter.
The animal product, bone char, is heated at a high temperature, so the end product is unsuitable for a person who’s on a plant-based diet.
To avoid this, some companies use vegan sugar substitutes, such as maple syrup, beet sugar, granular carbon, to avoid animal products.
Most vegans keep an eye out for non-organic sugar before they consume ketchup or other food to ensure it isn’t processed with bone char or any other animal product.
Plant-Based Ketchup vs Vegan Ketchup
In general, ketchup is vegan. The ingredients of ketchup are tomatoes, sugar, distilled vinegar, seasoning, and spice derived from plants, so it fits your vegan diet.
Some have concerns with the ingredients, such as sugar.
It is most especially a concern in the United States as it’s common for sugar refineries to process sugar using bone char.
I use Heinz Organic Ketchup because it uses alternative sweeteners in the condiments. What’s more, it is recognized by the organic association as 100% vegan.
I filter out the vegan brands from the non-vegan ketchup by checking whether it’s sweetened with high fructose as it’s an indication that it’s vegan.
As for plant-based ketchup, I try to avoid purchasing ketchup brands that include natural flavors where you can’t pinpoint where the source is.
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Heinz Ketchup Ingredients
Heinz doesn’t use non-vegan ingredients.
Here’s the list:
- Tomato Concentrate from Red Pipe Tomatoes - It is a thick concentrate from tomato pulps, with no artificial flavors. It’s 100% vegan and plant-based.
- Distilled Vinegar - It’s from a grain-alcohol mixture, which you can use to pickle vegetables and marinades.
- High-fructose Corn Syrup - The enzymes are added to the corn syrup, allowing the glucose to convert to some of the glucose to go fructose, also referred to as fruit sugar or organic sugar, because it naturally happens in fruits and berries. (1) It uses vegan-friendly sugar. They’re not using bone char or animal bones, making it fully vegan.
- Salt, Spice, and Onion Powder - Salt is the go-to option for vegans as the source of iodine. What’s more, spices are plant-based, making them an excellent option for vegans. Finally, onion powder is 100% plant-based with no involvement of animal products.
- Natural Flavoring - Natural flavors derive the flavor from plants, including spices, herbs, roots, and fermented leaves. Heinz’s natural flavoring makes use of organic ingredients to make vegan products.
“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” - Hippocrates
Wide Range of Heinz Ketchup Products
Now that I have answered the question - "is Heinz ketchup vegan?" - let’s talk about varieties.
Heinz Ketchup gives you two varieties, and they’re Organic and Simply Heinz. These products have refined sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup.
You can get the following variations: sriracha, jalapeño, and balsamic vinegar.
I use Heinz Ketchup No Salt when I’m on a low-sodium diet.
While it’s a little pricey, it’s worth the cost, and it makes the perfect ketchup for your vegan burgers with a side of onion rings, of course!
Another product that I have taken to liking is Heinz Tomato Ketchup with No Sugar Added. It gives you a nice, thick taste that comes from the red ripe tomatoes.
Both of these bottles are easy-to-squeeze, so I don't have to deal with the accidental slip-ups when I’m serving food for a small group of people.
Health Benefits of Heinz Ketchup
Reduces the risk of prostate cancer
Men who consume tomato sauce two times a week reduces the chances of developing prostate cancer by 20%. (2)
Increases men’s sperm count
The lycopene in the red ripe tomatoes enhances male fertility. The researchers found that it increases the sperm count by 70% and decreases abnormal sperm.
Reduces cholesterol
It reduces the low-density lipoprotein, which is also known as bad cholesterol.
Enhances eyesight
Ketchup isn’t only a popular condiment because of its taste, but it also has vitamin A, which improves your immune system, and promotes good vision.
FAQs
Yes, it is vegan. Mcdonalds gives you the option to choose from the classic Heinz Tomato Ketchup, which is vegan, and along with other options.
The other sauce varieties available are spicy tomato salsa, red sauce, sweet and sour, sweet curry, and BBQ.
Yes, Hunt's Classic Tomato Ketchup is vegan because it is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. It isn’t non-organic, and it’s undoubtedly not sweetened with cane sugar.
Yes, Leon’s Ketchup is vegan. The ingredients are 100% plant-based, which are chosen from natural ingredients, including tomatoes and mangoes.
Yes, Burger King’s Ketchup is vegan. It doesn’t use bone char particles. You can ask for ketchup or mustard at Burger King if you’re looking for vegan-friendly condiments.
Yes, Aldi’s ketchup is vegan. Similar to the answer to the “is Heinz ketchup vegan” question, Aldi’s process of making ketchup is vegan-friendly.
So, Can Vegans Eat Heinz Ketchup?
Yes, vegans can eat Heinz ketchup. Ketchup is generally safe for vegans to consume. The ingredients that make ketchup are tomato concentrate, vinegar, salt, spices, flavorings, onion powder, and sweeteners.
However, it isn’t easy to pinpoint where the sugar comes from in their sweeteners for some brands. It might be non-organic and sweetened with the use of cane sugar.
If you’re unsure, it’s better to purchase Heinz Tomato Ketchup with No Sugar Added. It doesn’t use an animal product with its non-animal derived ingredients.
Another option is to make your own ketchup to ensure it’s certified organic. All in all, if you’re looking to purchase vegan-friendly ketchup, Heinz is an excellent brand to trust.
References:
- https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/high-fructose-corn-syrup-questions-and-answers
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/new-evidence-that-a-heart-healthy-diet-also-helps-fight-prostate-cancer
About Author
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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