005. Can a Ketchup Packet Really Fuel Your Run?

Can a Ketchup Packet Really Fuel Your Run?

Using ketchup packets as mid-run fuel appears to have a cult following, according to the internet. One ketchup manufacturer is running with that. Here’s what sports RDs say.



Written BySarah Garone



Medically Reviewed byLynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES on November 17, 2023



Here’s why experts say the condiment packets are definitely not the most efficient way to fuel your workout.

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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.

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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

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