Heinz Tomato Ketchup: Labelgrade C (61/100)
C 61 / 100 — Very low saturated fat and high sodium per 100g.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Heinz Tomato Ketchup is a flavor add-on, not a food — 0g of protein, 0g of fiber, and 20.1 calories per 1 Tbsp (USDA FDC 1624854). There’s nothing here to hunt for nutritionally, so the C (61 / 100) comes down to what is in the serving: 4g of sugar — about a teaspoon — and 160mg of sodium in a single tablespoon. Saturated fat is a perfect zero; sugar and salt are the whole story. A tablespoon now and then is harmless. The catch is that nobody actually measures a tablespoon, and the real serving is bigger.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | D | 50 / 100 | 0g per 100g — below the high-protein bar; not the right product for protein hunting |
| Ingredient quality | B- | 70 / 100 | 8 ingredients; flagged maltodextrin or corn syrup |
| Saturated fat load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0g saturated fat — perfect |
| Sodium load | F | 18 / 100 | 160mg per serving (267mg per oz) — high; structural for cured/preserved foods |
| Sugar load | B+ | 84 / 100 | 4g sugar; USDA omits the added-sugar line, but the ingredients list a sweetener — scored as added, not naturally-occurring |
| Fiber | F | 30 / 100 | 0g fiber, expected for animal-protein products |
| Overall | C | 61 / 100 | Weighted blend: protein 25% · ingredients 22% · saturated fat 18% · sodium 15% · sugar 12% · fiber 8% |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per serving | Per 100 g | Per oz | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heinz Tomato Ketchup (this product) | 0g | 0g | 0g | 20.1 |
| Heinz Indian Relish | 0g | 0g | 0g | 20 |
| Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce | 0g | 0g | 0g | 69.8 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
It’s mostly tomato — and a surprising amount of sugar
Ketchup has a healthier reputation than it earns, probably because the first ingredient is tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes. That part is real. But read one line further and you hit high-fructose corn syrup and corn syrup, back to back — two sweeteners listed before the salt and spices. That’s where the 4g of sugar per tablespoon comes from, and 4g is roughly a level teaspoon of sugar squeezed onto your plate in a serving most people would call small.
The number sounds trivial in isolation, and for one tablespoon it basically is. The problem is the slope. Ketchup is a pouring condiment, not a measured one — so the gap between the label’s 1 Tbsp and a real-world burger-and-fries portion is where the sugar quietly multiplies. That’s the single most useful thing to know about this bottle: it’s tomato up front, but it’s sweetened, and the dose is up to your hand.
The serving on the label isn’t the serving on your plate
Every number on this page — 4g sugar, 160mg sodium, 20 calories — is anchored to one tablespoon. Hold onto that, because it’s the most optimistic version of ketchup that exists. Squeeze a normal ribbon over fries and you’re closer to 2 to 3 tablespoons, which quietly turns into roughly 8–12g of sugar and 320–480mg of sodium — and the sodium is the part that sneaks up on people, since ketchup doesn’t taste salty the way chips do.
None of this makes ketchup something to avoid. It makes it something to use with your eyes open. Two honest moves cover it. First, if added sugar is what you’re watching, swap to a no-sugar-added ketchup — Heinz and most store brands sell one that drops the 4g to near zero while keeping the tomato base and the taste close. Second, if you’d rather keep the original, just use a lighter hand: a measured tablespoon really is harmless, and the whole sugar-and-sodium story on this page disappears the moment you stop free-pouring.
Scope
This page covers Heinz Tomato Ketchup, UPC 01311501, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 1624854. Heinz sells multiple variants in this product line — other sizes, flavors, or fat levels may have different macros and Labelgrade scores. Manufacturers periodically reformulate; always cross-reference the actual package label, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
TOMATO CONCENTRATE FROM RED RIPE TOMATOES, DISTILLED VINEGAR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, SALT, SPICE, ONION POWDER, NATURAL FLAVORING.
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 Tbsp
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 Tbsp) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 20.1 |
| Protein | 0g |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 5g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Total Sugars | 4g |
| Sodium | 160mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Tomato Ketchup · UPC 01311501. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains no listed animal products
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ketchup healthy?
It's a flavor add-on, not a food — near-zero protein, no fiber, no real nutrition to speak of. A tablespoon now and then is harmless. The honest catch is that a single tablespoon of Heinz carries 4g of added sugar and 160mg of sodium, and most people use two or three, so it adds up faster than you'd think (USDA FDC 1624854).
Why does Heinz Tomato Ketchup get a Labelgrade C?
Because the grade tracks what's actually in the serving, and for a condiment that means sugar and sodium. Ketchup earns a perfect saturated-fat score, but 4g of sugar (a B+) and 160mg of sodium (an F for the serving size) pull the overall down to C, 61/100. There's just nothing nutritionally positive in here to lift it back up.
How much sugar is in a tablespoon of ketchup?
4g — about a teaspoon of sugar in a single tablespoon of ketchup. Tomato concentrate is the first ingredient, but high-fructose corn syrup and corn syrup are next, and that's where most of the 4g comes from. It's a small number until you pour it: two or three tablespoons on a plate of fries is closer to 8–12g.
What's a realistic serving of ketchup?
The label says 1 Tbsp, but almost nobody stops there — a burger-and-fries portion is usually 2 to 3 tablespoons, which doubles or triples the sugar and sodium above. If you're tracking, count what you actually squeeze out, not the official serving.
Is there a lower-sugar ketchup?
Yes — Heinz and several store brands sell a no-sugar-added ketchup that drops the 4g of sugar to roughly zero by using a non-nutritive sweetener, while keeping the tomato base and the taste close. If sugar is your concern, that swap removes the only macro that really matters here. A lighter hand on the regular bottle does the same thing.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-05, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 1624854. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days when a manufacturer reformulates.