Thursday, February 14, 2013

For $23 Billion, Test Your Ketchup and Tomato Knowledge

Here are three trivia questions, based on today's news, aimed at various segments of The Delicious Truth reading population. The first five people to leave the correct answers in the comments section below will receive a reusable Cook with Class shopping bag. (Only a handful are left; we started with 1500 five years ago.)

For business/finance/economics/accounting types: It was announced this morning that Heinz is being bought for roughly $23 billion by Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett's company) and 3G Capital Management. How many pounds of organic heirloom tomatoes can be bought at New York City farmers' markets for that amount, figuring last summer's average price of $5 per pound?


For home ec and health types: Of the following three varieties of Heinz ketchup, which is the best option? The second best option? (Sure, personal finances may play a part in your decision, but the price per ounce difference among the three is minimal, especially when factoring in how long a bottle of ketchup lasts a typical American family.)


1. Heinz® Ketchup
INGREDIENTS:
TOMATO CONCENTRATE FROM RED RIPE TOMATOES, DISTILLED VINEGAR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, SALT, SPICE, ONION POWDER, NATURAL FLAVORING.


2. Simply Heinz™ Ketchup

INGREDIENTS: TOMATO CONCENTRATE FROM RED RIPE TOMATOES, DISTILLED VINEGAR, SUGAR, SALT, ONION POWDER, SPICE, NATURAL FLAVORING.
 

3. Heinz® Organic Ketchup
INGREDIENTS: ORGANIC TOMATO CONCENTRATE FROM RED RIPE ORGANIC TOMATOES, ORGANIC DISTILLED VINEGAR, ORGANIC SUGAR, SALT, ORGANIC ONION POWDER, ORGANIC SPICE, NATURAL FLAVORING.
 

Why buy organic ketchup? As I have written before:
"Organic tomato products contain three times more of the antioxidant lycopene than conventional tomato products and are devoid of the harmful pesticides used on the majority of non-organic tomatoes."

6 comments:

Cynthia A said...

5.6 billion pounds

Rebecca P. said...

4.6 billion pounds

First: Heinz® Organic Ketchup
Second: Simply Heinz™ Ketchup

Catherine said...

4.6 billion pounds of organic tomatoes can be purchase for $23 billion dollars- thats a lot of ketchup!

Best option is #3 Heinz Organic ketchup- is healthiest option no pesticides, three times more lycopene, more minerals,earth friendly etc.

next best option is Simply Heinz, no high fructose corn syrup and no corn syrup

Last option #1 Heinz Ketchup

Organic is always best option, yes the prices are higher but if you are eating live healthy foods you don't eat as much because your body is getting the nutrition it needs. I think you really spend less because your not constantly buying all the junk food that is empty calories and pigging out all the time. If your body is satisfied you don't get cravings for all that junk. You can nickel and dime yourself out of a lot of money by buying all those artificial, dead foods.

Chef Rob said...

Catherine, Rebecca - Congrats. If you want a bag, send your mailing address to robATthedelicioustruthblogDOTcom and I'll get them in the mail.

Cynthia - Answer the second and third questions and I'll send you a bag as well.

Anonymous said...

Why eat ketchup anyway? No matter that it's organic, it has SUGAR and who knows what's 'natural flavoring'! I'd skip it altogether and go for organic balsamic or organic red wine vinegar any day!!

Nilam Ray said...

Fantastic Post! Lot of information is helpful in some or the other way. Keep updating organic tomato powder