Ketchup was once sold as medicine
In the 1830s, ketchup was surprisingly sold as medicine, with doctors claiming its tomato-based pills could cure various ailments before it became the beloved condiment we know today.
Believe it or not, ketchup was marketed as medicine in the 1830s! Dr. John Cook Bennett claimed tomato ketchup could cure ailments like diarrhea and indigestion. He even sold tomato pills, believing the vitamins and antioxidants in tomatoes offered a universal cure. While tomatoes are healthy, Bennett's claims were wildly exaggerated, leading to a "medicinal ketchup" fad.
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