Let’s talk Vegan Ketchup!
At Mother Raw, we believe that your condiments should be as delicious and nutritious as the food you put them on! That means we never ever use artificial sugars or syrups, preservatives or chemicals in Mother Raw Ketchup. Diced tomatoes, fresh dates, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, minced onion… All real, baby! Why mess with perfection? So when we get asked “Is your ketchup vegan?” we say: “Of course! We wouldn’t have it any other way!”
Hold up… so there’s non-vegan ketchup out there?
Good news! Most Ketchup is in fact vegan! However, as a vegan, you may want to look a bit closer into the sugars.
Sugar may not be vegan
One thing to be conscious of is the type of sugar that’s used in Ketchup and where it’s sourced from. Not all sugars are vegan, although most are. Non-vegan sugars are filtered with bone char – made from the bones of cattle. It’s a widely used substance in the sugar industry to achieve that stark white color. There are vegan sugars of course, like coconut sugar, which is not processed with bone char. Look closely at the sugars used to ensure your ketchup is vegan.
And not all Ketchup is created equal
If you follow a vegan lifestyle, or just want your products to be as natural and real as possible (like us!), it may also be important to you how your ketchup is made and what’s in it! Here are some things to consider:
Salt
We think the more natural, the better! Look for Himalayan sea salt and grey sea salt. And look for the amount of sodium per serving. Mother Raw has 55% less sodium than the leading brand (per 1tbsp serving).
Natural sweetness is best
Beware of syrups! Anything that is in syrup form, other than maple syrup (high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup) is highly processed.... We no longer have to settle for sugary, candy-like Ketchup! When it comes to sweeteners – natural is best! Look for fresh dates or coconut sugar as opposed to ‘high fructose corn syrup’, ‘corn syrup’, ‘sugar’ or ‘liquid sugar’. Mother Raw ketchup is sweetened with dates and is 1/2 the amount of sugar than leading brands.
Organic is best
A fool-proof way of ensuring your Ketchup is vegan is to make sure it’s organic. If the product you purchase is certified USDA Organic, it will not contain bone char. Dip away!
Keeping it Fresh
At Mother Raw, our products are never heated, depleted or mistreatedTM. We cold blend and refrigerate our products to retain nutrients and flavor at their peak. So when you’re looking into a Ketchup brand, dig a little deeper into how it’s produced and where you can find it in the store. If it needs to be refrigerated, that's always a good sign.
The bottom line
If you’re vegan, chances are there’s a Ketchup out there that will fit into your lifestyle. If you’re looking for a healthy Ketchup, make sure to read the ingredients and stick to organic to be safe. Look for natural sweeteners and ingredients that you can pronounce.
Now pass the fries!
Author: Sarah Georges
Shop Mother Raw Ketchup here.
RAWesome References
1 https://www.peta.org/living/food/is-sugar-vegan/