Homemade tomato sauce is a cooked sauce made from fresh or canned tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, and herbs. It is an excellent source of lycopene (enhanced by cooking and the presence of oil, which improves carotenoid absorption), vitamin C, potassium, and folate. With no added sugar and minimal sodium compared to bottled sauces, homemade tomato sauce is nutritionally superior to most commercial alternatives.
Cook the sauce low and slow for at least 20–30 minutes to concentrate the lycopene and develop sweetness naturally — no added sugar is needed if the tomatoes are ripe and well-cooked. Use a mix of canned plum tomatoes and a tablespoon of tomato puree for the richest depth of flavour.
Where Tomato sauce, homemade Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Glycemic Index & Load
Low GI food — causes a slow, steady rise in blood sugar. Ideal for sustained energy, blood glucose control, and reducing insulin demand.
Glycemic Load (GL = GI × carbs ÷ 100) accounts for portion size. A low GL means this food has minimal real-world blood sugar impact.
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chloride | 560 mg | 70% | |
| Potassium | 280 mg | 14% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 204 µg | 29% | |
| Phosphorus | 39.0 mg | 6% | |
| Calcium | 19.0 mg | 2% | |
| Magnesium | 10.0 mg | 3% | |
| Folate | 9.00 µg | 5% | |
| Vitamin C | 8.00 mg | 10% | |
| Niacin equivalents (NE) | 1.60 mg | 10% | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-TE) | 1.47 mg | 12% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.20 mg | 8% | |
| Selenium | 1.00 µg | 2% | |
| Iron | 0.600 mg | 4% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.300 µg | 2% | |
| Zinc | 0.300 mg | 3% | |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.220 mg | 4% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.140 mg | 10% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.110 mg | 10% | |
| Manganese | 0.100 mg | 5% | |
| Copper | 0.030 mg | 3% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.020 mg | 1% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Iodine | 5.00 µg | 3% | |
| Monounsaturated fat | 2.20 g | — | |
| Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) | 1.10 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 10.0 mg | — | |
| Beta-carotene | 1,070 µg | — | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 26.0 µg | 4% | |
| Biotin (Vitamin B7) | 1.20 µg | 2% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →