Did you know that a tomato is actually a fruit, technically speaking that it came from a flowering plant, but most home kitchens include tomatoes as vegetables because it is packed with essential vitamins & nutrients like other leafy greens.
Also the well known tomatoes that we put on our pizza & burgers have amazing benefits for your body, gut, skin and a lot more. But before we dive into that let us learn a bit of tomato history.
A bit of history about tomatoes
Tomatoes are native to the Americas, it was the “Aztecs” who first cultivated this fruit around 700. AD. During the 16th century much of the Mezoamerica were under european control, they also brought along the tomatoes back to Europe, but it was the Italians who favored it above all.
That's the reason why most Italian dishes have tomatoes in it, like their well known Pasta’s, pizza and bruschetta.
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins essential for our body’s internal function
Including a single tomato in your daily diet provides 40% of the recommended vitamin-c each day. It contains vitamin A which helps in building immunity, healthy eyes & skin. It also has vitamin-k & potassium that is essential for heart health, muscle function and regulates blood pressure.
Tomatoes are good for your heart
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant responsible for the red color of the fruit. Most research concluded that lycopene can lower blood pressure levels and is highly beneficial for people with metabolic syndrome and heart disease.
Eating tomatoes regularly along with proper diet and exercise can lower the risk of developing heart disease, stroke and diabetes. You can also take lycopene supplements but it is by eating raw tomatoes that can be highly beneficial.
Tomatoes for healthy eyesight
The Lycopene in tomatoes is also beneficial for your eyes, not only that it also has lutein and beta-carotene too, this nutrient is essential in maintaining healthy vision and prevents cataract formation and macular degeneration, especially for old individuals.
Tomatoes helps digestion
If you are prone to constipation, fluids and fiber that are present in tomatoes can help people who suffer from frequent constipation feel better and detoxified. Just take note that other people with acid reflux or indigestion can be triggered from acids of raw tomatoes.
Tomatoes helps in diabetes management
For people who suffer from type 2 diabetes, according to a study, eating cooked tomatoes for 30 days has shown that their lipid peroxidation decreases. It is important to know about this chain reaction for free radicals will attack fat cells which can lead to heart disease risk.
This study is important for diabetic people for they have a higher risk of developing stroke, heart attack and other heart diseases.
Tomatoes for younger looking skin
Tomatoes today are mostly included in cosmetic products for its wonderful effects on the skin and in a study conducted in 2011, they discovered that tomatoes and olive oil combination can help protect the skin against UV damage.
Tomatoes boost the production of collagen, this molecule provides structure for the skin, helping it to be firm and looking youthful, high concentration of lycopene that is rich in tomatoes help maintain skin elasticity and helps fight off free radicals that can cause skin aging.
Tomatoes for protection against cancer
The lycopene in tomatoes has observed in some studies that it can lessen the likelihood of having ovarian, prostate, stomach and lung cancer.
Include tomatoes for everyday’s dish
Included raw tomato fruit in salads, sliced or chopped it and sprinkled with vinegar or you can add fresh tomatoes on broiled fish.
It's nice to combine tomato paste and tomato sauce on your spaghetti, tomato sauce as a salsa for tacos and brown rice dish, you can also mix tomato sauce and beans.
As Well as adding grilled or dried tomatoes on your sandwiches and burgers
Tomatoes are great for everyday’s consumption because it not just helps our body’s fight off heart disease, it also makes skin look youthful and beautiful. And to rip the advantages of tomatoes for your body, order at The Produce Guyz, delivering fresh farm products at your doorsteps.