In Heinz’ newly released ad, they say that runners have been using ketchup on their runs, so that’s why they have laid out routes on running apps for certain cities like Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco, and New York in which they marked restaurants where runners can grab a packet of Heinz ketchup while on their run. It’s a very intriguing campaign and while a packet of ketchup is very handy, is ketchup really the best source of fuel? A few dietitians weighed in on the matter.
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According to Katherine Patton, endurance athletes generally need from 23 to 27 grams of carbs and they can usually obtain that through energy gels. This is because for anybody who would be exercising for more than an hour, the body would need energy which it draws from the carbs stored in the muscles. However, the amount that our bodies can store is limited, and thus the need for an added external source.
The problem, according to Amy Stephens, who is a sports dietitian as well as a runner, is that ketchup has too much sodium which could cause some gastrointestinal issues from the high acidic content. Furthermore, excessive sodium can cause headaches and make one really thirsty. Add on the fact that there might be logistical issues in using ketchup if one were to run for a bit longer like say, a half marathon, which is 13 miles.
For alternative sources of fuel, Stephens suggests honey gels or lemonade and iced tea if someone were to take a break at some point during their run.
(Image credit: Jacob Rice/Unsplash)
(Video credit: Heinz Ketchup Canada/Youtube)
Source: neatorama