Ketchup can get healthier, and under 5 minutes!

Ketchup is the mother of all condiments. It’s sweet and salty and pairs with just about anything,  even when the combo seems intuitively odd. I, for instance, have long praised the healing powers of ketchup and white rice, and a friend of mine can’t bear to eat scrambled eggs without it. Ketchup has carved an indelible spot in our food psyches – it’s a classic that some estimates claim can be found in 97% of U.S. households.

Tracing its origins to China, Ketchup was first introduced in the U.S. in 1837. By 1900, ketchup was sold by more than 100 manufacturers. In 1872, HJ Heinz introduced his version of the condiment at the Philadelphia Fair, and to this day, the recipe has remained unchanged. Over the years, first for sanitary reasons and later for marketing’s sake, the FDA has developed strict guidelines concerning the consistency of ketchup and ingredients in it.

Behind the classic lies not so uplifting stats. Ingredients in Heinz Ketchup include tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, spice, onion powder, and natural flavoring. While the list is relatively simple, high-fructose corn syrup is a known culprit, so much to the point that many are beginning to backfire, claiming it is “unfairly maligned.” Truth is, it deserves the flack!

In a 2010 Princeton University study, researchers found that high-fructose corn syrup leads to considerable weight gain, at a rate higher than other sweeteners. According to the study, which was administered on rats, those fed high-fructose corn syrup gained much more weight than those fed table sugar, even with the same caloric intake. The lab animals on a long-term high-fructose corn syrup diet experience abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the belly. Researchers noted that even rats on a high-fat diet don’t gain weight to that extent.

In 1 tablespoon of Heinz Ketchup, there are 20 calories, 160 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams carbohydrates, and 4 grams of sugar. The benefits deriving from the plum tomatoes are outweighed by the compounding calorie, sodium, and sugar dosages. Whoever just stops at 1 tablespoon? A few tablespoons in, and you’ve got yourself a condiment that threatens meal-status.

A condiment should never derail a diet, but many of us don’t know when to stop dipping, because serving sizes are never that clean cut. That’s why I’ve put together this simple homemade ketchup that you can whip up without laboring over the stove, risking your fries going frigid.

Using the same elements – tomatoes, sweetener, and vinegar – I’ve upped the ante on their health benefits. Maple syrup is one of the healthiest sweeteners on the market, with a lower glycemic index than other mainstream sugars. Apple cider vinegar, especially one that is indicated as “raw,” is full of vitamins, minerals, pectin, and beta-carotene. It also boasts many benefits – treats sunburn, helps weight loss, removes teeth stains, cures severe acne, treats digestive ailments, fights allergies, and reduces cholesterol.

Enjoy!

2-minute Homemade Ketchup

Makes just over 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tomato paste
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (or agave)
• 1/4 tsp mustard
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. No cooking required!

Add lukewarm water by the teaspoon to reach the consistency you crave.

Serve aside sweet potato French fries or lather on top of a vegan chickpea burger!

Bon Appetit!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

Images: Overthinking Me, Aylin Erman

The post Nutritional Breakdown: Revamping America’s Favorite Condiment: Ketchup [Recipe] appeared first on EcoSalon.

Thrift shopping for vintage treasures is easy when you know where to find them. Here are seven of our favorite thrift shops in Philadelphia.

It’s not always sunny in Philadelphia, but when the weather is less than great, what better time to explore the vintage shopping there. We were more than elated when these Philly vintage store tips were submitted by EcoSalon reader Joanne Stillman.

Vintage shopping is part skill, part luck and part perseverance, but you can stack the odds in your favor by hitting up stores known to always stock good stuff. Here are seven of our favorite thrift stores in Philadelphia. For those of you located elsewhere, many of these also have online shops.

Astro Vintage
Stocked with unique finds ranging from vintage clothing and jewelry to kitchenware, Astro has a little bit of everything. The shop is housed in a cute little space and the owner, Karin, is very helpful and curates the collection with lots of care. Her particular fondness for 50s owls means you should keep an eye out for Betty Draper-style dresses, pencil skirts, cat-eye glasses and lots of, well, owl jewelry and trinkets.

Astro Vintage, 720 S 5th Street, Queen Village

Retrospect
Retrospect has been around since 2001 and sells vintage clothing and accessories for guys and gals. The color coordinated displays feature everything from jeans and dresses to furs and coats to belts, hats, and sunglasses. The prices are decent enough – for a thrift shop located in a major city, that is – to enable you to find some true bargains.

Retrospect Vintage, 534 South Street, South Street District/Society Hill

Philly AIDS Thrift
This is your classic kind of thrift store, where you probably have to spend at least an hour searching through the racks, but can score amazing finds at great prizes. A non-profit, Philly AIDS Thrift donates a good portion of the profits from the used clothing and housewares they sell to local organizations involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In June, they surpassed $413,450 in total cash contributions to Philly area AIDS organizations. If that doesn’t make you feel good about shopping here, I don’t know what will.

Philly AIDS Thrift, 710 S. 5th Street, Queen Village

Wilbur Vintage
Featuring a well-curated selection of vintage goods, Wilbur Vintage is known for its style and charm. The main focus here is on women and you can find great dresses, shoes and bags. The proprietor is very friendly and will gladly help you find anything you are looking for. Prices are not dirt cheap, but you can expect everything to be in great condition.

Wilbur Vintage, 716 South 4th Street, Queen Village

Sazz Vintage Clothing
Sazz offers a curated collection of women’s and men’s vintage pieces ranging from the 30s to the 80s. There are lots of 50s and 60s dresses and a great collection of 70s and 80s band and concert T-shirts. You can also shop on the website and, if you let the store know a few days in advance, they can even arrange for you to try those web shop items on in the store. Sazz is also known for their vintage warehouse in Fish Town – a vintage paradise for men, where you can find disco clothes, western shirts, vintage t-shirts, bellbottoms, Hawaiian shirts and even ugly Christmas sweaters. Best of all, everything in the warehouse costs under $25.

Sazz Vintage Clothing, 38 North 3rd Street, Olde City

Malena’s Vintage Boutique
Located in West Chester, Malena’s features personally handpicked vintage and vintage inspired apparel. The items range from big-name designers like Gucci and Hermes to homemade tailored items. The store has been featured in many publications including Lucky Magazine, Latina Magazine, Spark Weekly, Budget Living Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine and Philadelphia City Paper. Owner Malena Martinez started collecting vintage when she was twelve years old and has honed her craft every since. A graduate of Pratt’s fashion program, she uses her technical knowledge and good taste to find unusual and well constructed vintage pieces.

Malena’s Vintage Boutique, 101 West Gay Street, West Chester

Greene Street Consignment
Currently in seven locations, Greene Street Consignment is run by a pair of sisters – Donna and Lynn – who use their fashion industry experience and business know-how to create a vintage shopping experience with a true boutique feel.The first Greene Street outpost opened at 700 South Street in Philly in 1997 and is, 15 years later, still going strong. Even though the shopping environment is polished, the prices are still great.

Greene Street Consignment, 119 W. Market Street, West Chester & 700 South Street, Washington Square West

Want us to feature your town or city? Send all information to tips@ecosalon.com

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Bario-Neal designers Anna Bario and Page Neal handcraft their boutique and custom designed jewelry in Philadelphia utilizing reclaimed precious metals and ethically-sourced stones. The duo also works with specialized craftspeople on Philadelphia’s historic Jeweler’s Row to hand-make many of its pieces.

“Composed of nearly 300 small, family-owned businesses, Jeweler’s Row is home to the oldest jewelry district in America (est. 1851) and continues to thrive as a creative and manufacturing hub in the industry,” says their site.

These Octillo Earrings, made with reclaimed 14kt gold are from their Camac Collection which is a very personal exploration into their first interactions with jewelry making.

I say these are the perfect earrings to wear when you don’t want to overdo your jewelry. Worn with a busier necklace, you still have a little something on your ears to fill the holes and create a bit of sparkle.

The post Simple and Sophisticated Reclaimed Gold Bario Neal Studs appeared first on EcoSalon.