In the early 1800s, ketchup was touted as a medicinal miracle. Different varieties of ketchup were made of berries, grapes, mushrooms, and other foods. History of Ketchup Know about the culinary journey of ketchup- from medicine to table condiment. Americans' taste for tomatoes, however, had grown. Etobicoke, Toronto, ON, Canada / Jewel 88.5 Toronto. Ketchup, the most widely used condiment across the world, was sold as a medicine in early 1830s. (In Asia, on the other hand, tomato ketchup had already been hugely popular for decades.) In 1834, the tomato got a makeover. Different varieties of ketchup were made of berries, grapes, mushrooms, and other foods. The addition of tomatoes meant it added a a plethora of vitamins and antioxidants to the sauce. I’ll bite. In fact, according to Smithsonian Magazine, in the 1700s, Europeans thought that tomatoes were "poison apples." In the early 1800s, ketchup was touted as a medicinal miracle. Bennet marketed ketchup not as a condiment, but as a cure-all in the form of a ketchup pill. “Ketchup was sold as medicine in the 1830’s.” Okay. James Mease, a Philadelphia scientist, is credited with developing the recipe. The history of ketchup goes way back to the early 16th century. Apr 8, … Grab some ketchup. The history of ketchup goes way back to the early 16th century. It wasn't until the 1800s that tomatoes melded with ketchup to make a surprising, world-changing comeback. By 1876, tomatoes had undergone a remarkable turnaround in the court of public opinion. Get some ketchup. Got indigestion? “Ketchup was sold as medicine in the 1830’s.” Okay. Got diarrhea? According to a study published in the Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, eating tomatoes can decrease your risk of osteoporosis, and lung, prostate, stomach, cervical, breast, oral, colorectal, esophageal, and pancreatic cancers. Don't laugh yet. The freaky and not-always-healthy backstory behind some of your favorite eats. In 1834, Dr. John Cooke Bennet added tomatoes to ketchup. You see, ketchup was once made not from tomatoes, but from mushrooms. French fries are for novices. In 1834, the tomato got a makeover. What was ketchup made of, though, up through the 1700s? In 1834, Dr John Cooke Bennett added tomatoes to ketchup and claimed that it could cure the above-mentioned diseases. He claimed his recipe could cure: Diarrhea; Indigestion; Jaundice; Rheumatism Tomatoes were taboo, yes. Back in the 1800’s ketchup was once considered a medicine. That’s why ketchup didn’t contain tomatoes back in those days. In 1834, Dr John Cooke Bennett added tomatoes to ketchup and claimed that it could cure the above-mentioned diseases. When you hear the word ketchup, a rich red puree of tomatoes pops into your mind. A little investigating shows that up until around 1800, North Americans widely regarded tomatoes as poisonous. The long history of ketchup in the Western world extends back to the early 16th century, when British settlers in Fuji were introduced to a sauce used by Chinese sailors called ke-tchup. Yes, that’s right, tomato ketchup was once believed to have medicinal properties and was used as a form of medication to cure diarrhoea, indigestion, rheumatism and jaundice. Tomato ketchup was not only popular, but because of the teachings of an influential quack promulgated by the patent medicine trade, tomato ketchup was actually considered to be a sort of tonic, a condiment that was actually healthier than normal ketchup. Enter Heinz, and the rest is history. Later, Dr. John Cook Bennett published recipes for tomato ketchup as a … Pretty soon, Bennett was publishing recipes for tomato ketchup, which were then concentrated into pill form and sold as a patent medicine across the country. Yes, that’s right, tomato ketchup was once believed to have medicinal properties and was used as a form of medication to cure diarrhoea, indigestion, rheumatism and jaundice. The surprising way ketchup was used in the 1800s, Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. The long and short of it is that rich people, who imported tomatoes from South America, were getting sick and dying after eating these delicacies off of their expensive, pewter plates. Although, a few decades ago ketchup didn’t quite resemble the current version of the condiment. Tomato ketchup was popularized as a condiment commercially in the late 1800’s and today Americans purchases 10 billion ounces of ketchup annually. Back in the 1800’s ketchup was once considered a medicine. Tomato-based ketchup wasn't always a must-have, though. Copycats selling laxatives as tomato pills eventually discredited the medicine. Tomato ketchup is invented Finally, in 1812, the first recipe for tomato-based ketchup debuted. Heinz didn't make it onto the ketchup scene until 1869. According to Ripley's, by the 1850s, Bennet had gone out of business. In the 19th century, the British introduced tomatoes in the ketchup. Bennet may have been on to something, after all. Don't sweat it — ketchup's got your back (via Mental Floss). Ketchup was used as medicine. The list goes on. In 1834, ketchup was sold as a cure for indigestion by an Ohio physician named John Cook. Because tomatoes are part of the Solanaceae family, which consists of certain poisonous plants, many people steered clear of eating fresh tomatoes, but were willing to consume ketchup, since the red fruit was cooked and preserved with other ingredients. Tomatoes equal to ketchup. Previously, ketchup had been a concoction of fish or mushrooms. Up until late 1800s, tomato was considered poisonous and ketchup was made of a variety of ingredients like grapes, mushrooms and berries – but no tomato. In the early 1800’s, tomatoes were deemed poisonous. The history of ketchup goes way back to the early 16th century.