Ketchup Packets as Running Fuel: What the Experts Say
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You may think of ketchup as a humble-but-tasty topping on french fries, burgers, or hot dogs.
But ketchup marketers are proposing a new use for the condiment: running fuel. A recent ad on YouTube from Heinz, claims individual packets of the tomato spread could be an easy, inexpensive mid-run snack.
The online chatter about ketchup as running fuel has been around for awhile. Reddit threads (from 2021) have previously posed the question of ketchup packets as substitutes for pricey running gels.
Heinz’s recent commercial claims: “Runners everywhere are using Heinz ketchup on their runs.” The brand has even created pre-set routes on which runners can stop in at restaurants that carry Heinz ketchup packets to refuel.
Routes have been mapped in major cities across the United States and Canada and are available in running apps like MapMyRun and Strava. Online advocates of the ketchup-as-running-fuel idea claim that the carbohydrates in ketchup can keep distance athletes going strong — there are about 2 grams (g) per 9g Heinz packet.
While the idea of stashing a few free packets of ketchup from a fast food restaurant instead of shelling out cash for specially formulated energy gels sounds promising, take pause. Experts say runners can skip this trend.
What a Sports Dietitian Says About Using Ketchup to Fuel Long Runs
Long-distance runners require refueling mid-race, and carbohydrates are the best source of energy during exercise.
Per a joint statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine, during exercise longer than 60 minutes, athletes should consume 30 to 60 g of carbohydrates per hour.
For longer races, such as marathons or triathlons, carb needs increase, says Honolulu-based sports dietitian Katie Schimmelpfennig, RD, founder of Eat Swim Win, who works with competitive endurance runners in her practice. During athletic activities that last 2.5 hours or longer, she recommends 60 to 90 g of carbohydrates per hour.
Here’s why ketchup is probably not the best way to get those carbs, according to her and other experts.
You’re Going to Have to Eat a Lot of Ketchup if You Use It as Running Fuel
Ketchup packets may contain carbohydrates, but you’d have to eat a lot of them to attain the 30- to 60-gram hourly mark necessary for a long run. “The main drawback of using ketchup as a running fuel is that it simply doesn’t have enough carbs,” says Seattle-based sports dietitian Steph Magill, RD, who is a fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “It’s not realistic for a runner to consume the number of packets needed to come close to matching what they need to replace their energy needs.” (For reference, you’d need to consume 15 packets with 2 g of carbohydrates each to reach the 30-gram mark.)
For longer runs or races, the number of required packets goes even higher. It would take a whopping 30 packets of Heinz ketchup to consume 60 g of carbs. Unless you really, really love ketchup, that’s probably more than you want to eat — or carry on your person while jogging.
That’s a Lot of Sodium, Too
Magill points out that ketchup packets have some other notable nutrition drawbacks.
Those packets contain 90 milligrams (mg) of sodium each. Consuming 15 packets on a long run means that the runner is going to get much more sodium than they need, she says.
The Daily Value of sodium (the amount recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to consume and not exceed daily) for adults is 2,300 mg per day.
Because runners lose sodium through sweat, they do need to replenish these losses (particularly when running long distances or sweating a lot, as in humid weather) — but not necessarily to the extent that dozens of ketchup packets provide. According to a study published in 2022, endurance athletes should consume 300 to 600 mg of sodium per hour during exercise. Fifteen packets provide significantly more than that at 1,350 mg of sodium, or 59 percent of the Daily Value.
And although ketchup provides electrolytes in the form of sodium, it doesn’t balance this out with other important minerals.
“Ketchup lacks other electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium,” Schimmelpfennig says. These nutrients help keep blood pressure at a healthy range, per research published in 2019. You can find an ideal blend of sodium and other electrolytes in specially formulated sports beverages and gels.
And That’s a Lot of Acidity
It’s also possible that ketchup’s high acidity level could cause gastrointestinal (GI) distress.
Ketchup has an pH level of about 3.6 (research has found), making it an acidic food. Acidic foods can irritate the lining of the stomach and duodenum, causing pain or upset stomach. High-acid foods are also notorious triggers for acid reflux. And according to research published in 2016, running causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, allowing more stomach acid to wash up into the esophagus. Ketchup might further aggravate the problem.
“Acidity could be a factor for some athletes, especially at the volume required to meet energy needs,” says Magill. “I’d expect there could be some GI upset with that volume of ketchup being consumed.”
If you’re an athlete who’s already susceptible to stomach issues like diarrhea and cramping on long runs, it’s probably not worth adding a potential GI disruptor into the mix.
The Bottom Line: Why Experts Say Save the Ketchup for Post-Running
Ultimately, though ketchup packets may come in small, totable packaging and contain a few carbs and sodium, that’s where their advantages for runners end.
“Bottom line is ketchup doesn’t have a place as a running gel. People should stick to foods that are high in carbohydrates and low in fiber, fat, and protein so that they can be easily digested and used by the body for fuel,” says Magill.
Rather than stopping in at a fast food restaurant for packets of ketchup, she recommends trying foods like dried fruit, crackers, bananas, or granola bars.
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