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August 23, 2025
Ketchup was once a diarrhea cure
From an ancient Chinese fish sauce to America's favorite condiment, ketchup has a wild history.The post Ketchup was once a diarrhea cure appeared first on Popular Science.
**Ketchup's Surprising Past: From Fish Sauce to Diarrhea Remedy**
That bottle of Heinz in your fridge has a far more fascinating history than you might imagine. While today we slather it on burgers and fries, ketchup's journey to becoming America's favorite condiment is a winding road that began with ancient Chinese fish sauce and took a detour through the world of medicine.
Believe it or not, the ancestor of modern ketchup wasn't even tomato-based. It originated in China as "ge-thcup," a fermented fish sauce. This pungent concoction, a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine, eventually made its way to the Malay Peninsula and then to British shores in the 17th century. Early English versions were vastly different from what we know today, often incorporating ingredients like mushrooms, walnuts, oysters, or even grapes. Tomatoes were nowhere to be found in these initial recipes.
The transformation of ketchup into a tomato-based sauce didn't happen overnight. Experiments with tomato recipes began in the early 19th century, and gradually gained popularity. However, these early tomato ketchups faced a significant challenge: spoilage. Without effective preservatives, the sauce would quickly go bad.
Enter Dr. John Cook Bennett, an American physician who, in the 1830s, promoted tomatoes as a powerful medicinal ingredient. He claimed they could treat a wide range of ailments, including, surprisingly, diarrhea. Bennett published his own ketchup recipe, which he touted for its health benefits.
While the idea of ketchup as a diarrhea cure seems bizarre today, it reflects the medical beliefs of the time. Tomatoes were believed to possess medicinal properties, and Dr. Bennett's ketchup became a popular remedy, though its actual effectiveness was likely minimal.
The modern ketchup we recognize today began to take shape in the late 19th century, with companies like Heinz perfecting the recipe and developing preservation techniques that ensured a longer shelf life. So, the next time you reach for that bottle of ketchup, remember its long and unexpected journey – from ancient fish sauce to dubious diarrhea cure to the ubiquitous condiment we can't live without.
That bottle of Heinz in your fridge has a far more fascinating history than you might imagine. While today we slather it on burgers and fries, ketchup's journey to becoming America's favorite condiment is a winding road that began with ancient Chinese fish sauce and took a detour through the world of medicine.
Believe it or not, the ancestor of modern ketchup wasn't even tomato-based. It originated in China as "ge-thcup," a fermented fish sauce. This pungent concoction, a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine, eventually made its way to the Malay Peninsula and then to British shores in the 17th century. Early English versions were vastly different from what we know today, often incorporating ingredients like mushrooms, walnuts, oysters, or even grapes. Tomatoes were nowhere to be found in these initial recipes.
The transformation of ketchup into a tomato-based sauce didn't happen overnight. Experiments with tomato recipes began in the early 19th century, and gradually gained popularity. However, these early tomato ketchups faced a significant challenge: spoilage. Without effective preservatives, the sauce would quickly go bad.
Enter Dr. John Cook Bennett, an American physician who, in the 1830s, promoted tomatoes as a powerful medicinal ingredient. He claimed they could treat a wide range of ailments, including, surprisingly, diarrhea. Bennett published his own ketchup recipe, which he touted for its health benefits.
While the idea of ketchup as a diarrhea cure seems bizarre today, it reflects the medical beliefs of the time. Tomatoes were believed to possess medicinal properties, and Dr. Bennett's ketchup became a popular remedy, though its actual effectiveness was likely minimal.
The modern ketchup we recognize today began to take shape in the late 19th century, with companies like Heinz perfecting the recipe and developing preservation techniques that ensured a longer shelf life. So, the next time you reach for that bottle of ketchup, remember its long and unexpected journey – from ancient fish sauce to dubious diarrhea cure to the ubiquitous condiment we can't live without.
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