Healthy Tomato Sauce Recipe: Keto Friendly

Store-bought tomato sauces are loaded with sugar and sodium. Make your healthy tomato sauce to save yourself the added sugar, salt, and calories.

Homemade tomato sauce is healthy since it is high in Vitamin C, potassium, and Vitamin K while being low in calories, making it both nutritious and ideal for a healthy daily diet. However, tomatoes and tomato-based goods, such as tomato sauces, are highly acidic and can cause acid reflux, also known as heartburn.

Because of the acidity in these foods, the lower esophageal sphincter, the muscle that divides the stomach from the esophagus, can relax, enabling stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus. If you have acid reflux, you should limit your consumption of these foods.

Since I suffer from heartburn, I attempt to limit the amount of acid in my diet. Most people try to reduce the acidity of tomatoes by adding sugar, but does this work? Let's see.

What is sodium? Is it the same thing as salt?

Sodium is a mineral that can be found in a variety of foods. For normal muscle and nerve function, your body requires sodium. It also aids in the maintenance of body fluid balance. The majority of table salts are made from sodium chloride. As a result, salt used in cooking or flavoring foods usually contains sodium. Furthermore, healthcare providers frequently use the terms sodium and salt interchangeably.

Table salt is made up of roughly 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Sodium chloride accounts for approximately 90% of the sodium we consume. The remainder is derived from other sources of sodium, such as baking soda. These sodium-containing ingredients are used in food to preserve it, improve its color, add flavor, or make it firmer.

Is sodium harmful?

Even though you need some sodium, too much of this mineral could be harmful to your health. Regular consumption of foods high in sodium can make your body retain more water. Additionally, your organs have to work harder as a result of the extra body water. This raises your chance of hypertension, which can impair the health of your heart and kidneys.

What foods contain sodium?

Natural sources of sodium include celery, beets, and milk. Sodium levels in packaged and prepared foods, particularly soups, can be high. The majority of that sodium comes from processed food. Adding more salt increases sodium intake.

How much sodium should we consume?

An adequate daily sodium intake of 1,500 milligrams has been established for adults, but most people consume more than that amount.

What is the way to cut back on our sodium intake?

When we cook a little more, we can alter our sodium intake and the quality of our vegetables.

The Nutrition Facts label is the most reliable source of information about the sodium content of specific foods: Look for foods with less sodium on the label. Select foods that have fewer than 120 mg of sodium per serving. On the label, look for the phrases "low sodium," "very low sodium," and "salt-free." If a food's label says unsalted, no salt added, reduced sodium, or lower sodium, you should double-check its sodium content. These products might still contain a lot of sodium.

What is pH?

The pH scale is used to determine acidity. The scale goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral and the lower end of the scale representing increased acidity.

Does adding sugar to tomato sauce reduce acidity?

Sugar does not diminish tomato acidity; rather, it reduces the acid taste. Because sugar is a neutral chemical, it cannot reduce tomato acidity.

What can I use in my tomato sauce instead of sugar?

I use instead of sugar onion and carrot, which the appropriate sweetness. I like the texture and sweetness added by these veggies to my sauce, and they are barely apparent in the final sauce!

What about onions and carrots? Are they acidic?

Tomato pH ranges from 4.0 to 4.9.

Onions are mildly acidic pH with a pH ranging from 5.3 to 5.88. They pose no nutritional issues due to their limited consumption. Onions are generally safe to eat for the majority of individuals. They provide a variety of health benefits, ranging from heart health support to digestion aid.

Carrots have a pH range of 5.88 to 6.40, indicating that they are alkaline-forming foods. This implies they have a high pH, which can aid in neutralizing the acidity in our bodies. This makes them a good alternative for people wanting to eat a balanced and healthy diet.

Carrots are alkaline-forming foods that can help neutralize the acidity in our systems, contrary to certain widespread misunderstandings regarding their acidity and ability to cause acid reflux. They are also high in fiber, which promotes healthy digestion and lowers the risk of acid reflux.

Moreover, there are 4.2 g of sugar per 100 g of onion and 4.7 g of sugar per 100 gr of carrot. Therefore, using carrots and onions adds the sweetness that is desired without adding sugar.

How to reduce tomato acidity?

The easiest approach to reduce tomatoes' acidity is to peel them before cooking. After putting the tomatoes in boiling water for one minute, it's a pretty simple operation.

Acidic elements, such as tomatoes, can sometimes produce a bitter taste in tomato sauce, especially when cooked for an extended period. Baking soda can lessen the acidity and sourness of tomato sauce and make it taste smoother and sweeter.

This is because baking soda is an alkaline chemical with a high pH value. When baking soda is added to tomato sauce, it combines with the tomato acid and produces carbon dioxide gas. As a result of this process, the sauce foams up and becomes less acidic.

Baking soda neutralizes acidity and elevates the pH level of acidic components such as tomato sauce, making the sauce less sour and more balanced.

How much baking soda should you add to your tomato sauce?

It is crucial to note, however, that too much baking soda might cause the tomato sauce to taste metallic or soapy. To ensure that you reach the right flavor, add a small bit of baking soda at a time and taste the sauce often.

Begin carefully with 1/8 tsp for a batch of tomato sauce. Stir it up, taste it, and see if you need more. The acidity will begin to disappear, giving way to sweetness.

Homemade tomato sauce ingredients

Tomatoes are low in calories and high in nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium. They're also high in antioxidants, including lycopene, which gives tomatoes their distinctive color. Lycopene has a variety of health benefits, such as a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

Carrots are high in beta-carotene, which is a form of vitamin A. They are also high in B vitamins, as well as vitamin K and potassium. Carrots are high in dietary fiber, which is beneficial to gut health. A healthy immune system is ensured by maintaining your gut health. Fiber also benefits the heart by removing excess LDL cholesterol from the arteries and blood vessels.

Garlic is high in several nutrients, including manganese and vitamin B6. It has antiviral, antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. People usually use garlic to treat almost any ailment, from earaches to hypertension to common colds. It may also aid in the treatment of colds and flu. It may reduce your chances of becoming ill and aid in your recovery.

Onions are high in nutrients and contain potent compounds. they have a high prebiotic and fiber content. This improves gut health by aiding digestion, strengthening the immune system, and lowering inflammation in the body. they may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Moreover, onions have antibacterial properties and promote digestive health, which may help the immune system function better.

Basil contains plenty of antioxidants, phenolics, vitamin K, zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. Many of its health benefits are derived from antioxidants and essential oils. These compounds are mostly lost during the drying process, so use fresh basil whenever possible to reap the most benefits.

Oregano is high in antioxidants and can assist in the fight against bacteria and viruses, as well as potentially slowing the growth of cancer cells and alleviating inflammation.

Final thoughts

• Adding sugar doesn’t change the acidity of tomato sauce
• Onion and carrot reduce slightly the acidity of tomato sauce, elevating slightly the pH of the product
• Sugars in onion and carrot reduce the acid taste of tomato sauce
• Baking soda reduces the acidity of tomato sauce by elevating its pH level.

Now, are you convinced that you should make your healthy tomato sauce?

Let’s have a look at the recipe.

Check also this healthy tomato sauce and pizza crust recipe made of 100% whole-wheat flour.

Note: Examine the nutrition label for an overview of this recipe’s nutritional profile. A nutrient is low if the label lists less than 5% of its daily value, while 20% or more is high. In general, you should limit your intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium while increasing your intake of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.