Want to watch a quick video instead? Tomato benefits for health
In case you were wondering, a tomato is a technically a fruit, because it’s seed-bearing and develops from the ovary of a flowering plant. (Botanically speaking, vegetables consist of other plant parts, like roots, leaves, and stems.) But when it comes to nutrition, tomatoes —along with seedy cucumbers and zucchini—are categorized as vegetables. That’s due in part to their lower carb and sugar contents: A medium tomato provides just 22 calories, and about 5 grams of total carb, with 3 as sugar and 1.5 as fiber. But this low-calorie, low-carb package is chock-full of nutrients, and has been linked to a variety of health benefits. Here are seven, along with some simple ways to incorporate more tomatoes into your everyday meals and snacks.
Tomatoes are a great source of vitamins
A single tomato can provide about 40% of the daily recommended minimum of vitamin C. What’s more, tomatoes supply vitamin A, which supports immunity, vision, and skin health; vitamin K, which is good for your bones; and potassium, a key nutrient for heart function, muscle contractions, and maintaining a healthy blood pressure and fluid balance.
Calcium can maintain and build stronger bones. Sufficient quantities of vitamin D are necessary in order for your body to absorb calcium. You can get the necessary amounts from food and sunlight. These can help boost your body’s ability to absorb calcium.
They protect heart health
Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which is responsible for their red color. Research suggests that in terms of heart health benefits, it’s more effective to eat tomatoes and tomato products than take lycopene supplements. Other studies have shown that higher blood levels of lycopene are tied to lower death rates for people with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that raise the chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Thiamine, or vitamin B1, deficiency can cause neurological and psychiatric symptoms. These symptoms can include weight loss, weakness, irregular heart rate and psychosis. A vitamin B complex can ensure you receive the vitamin B1 you need, or you can eat pork, brown rice, liver, oatmeal, leafy vegetables, eggs and potatoes.
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Improve you vision
Riboflavin or vitamin B2 is found in bananas, green beans, popcorn, dairy, and asparagus. Having a deficiency can cause many issues like decreased hemoglobin and red blood cells, along with scaly skin and cracked lips. It has also been linked to the prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome, anemia, cancer, and cataracts.
Lycopene is also good for your eyes. And that’s not the only peeper-protective nutrient in tomatoes; they contain lutein and beta-carotene as well. According to research, those nutrients support vision and protect against eye conditions including cataracts and macular degeneration.
Boost digestive health
Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that is found in wheat germ, eggs, poultry and vegetable oils. Vitamin E can be used to treat cardiovascular issues, including chest pain, high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. It can also help prevent certain types of cancers. The easiest way to ensure you receive the nutrients you need is to take a vitamin E supplement.
The fluid and fiber in tomatoes may be helpful if you’re prone to constipation. (According to the USDA one large tomato contains 6 ounces of fluid, and 1.5 grams of fiber.) Just be aware that in some people, the acidity from cooked tomatoes may trigger or worsen acid reflux and indigestion.
Help with diabetes management
Make sure you choose your beverages wisely. Try to avoid drinking a lot of coffee, tea, or soda. These drinks all have caffeine, which can keep your body from absorbing certain vitamins and minerals like iron. They can also cause you to increase secretion of water-soluble vitamins in your urine.
Tomatoes may be a protective food for people with type 2 diabetes: In one study, people with diabetes who supplemented with cooked tomatoes for 30 days experienced a decrease in lipid peroxidation, a chain reaction in which substances called free radicals attack fat, leading to damage that ups the risk of heart disease. This is particularly important, because diabetes doubles the risk of stroke and heart attack.
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Always tell your doctor if you are taking vitamin or mineral supplements when you are prescribed medication. Some prescribed drugs interact with certain vitamins, which can lessen or increase the effectiveness of the drug. This can have negative consequences on your body if you do not inform your doctor of supplements you are taking beforehand.
Guard skin health
A 2011 study found that the combination of tomato paste and olive oil protected against sun damage, and boosted the production of pro-collagen, a molecule that gives the skin its structure and keeps it firm and youthful. Scientists believe that the lycopene in tomatoes is key. It’s at its highest concentration when tomatoes have been cooked, and olive oil boosts its absorption from your digestive system into your bloodstream.
When you are taking your vitamins, always make sure you eat something with them. Vitamins on an empty stomach can cause you to be uncomfortable and have an upset stomach. You don’t want to feel nauseous, and instead you want to focus on the positive effects that the vitamins and nutrients will provide.
Protect against cancer
Observational studies have found links between the superstar compound lycopene and fewer incidences of prostate, ovarian, lung, and stomach cancers.
Believe it or not, taking more of a vitamin is not beneficial and can actually be harmful. Depending on the vitamin, large amounts can have adverse effects and cause problems with how any medication you are taking works. Vitamin A, vitamin D, and iron need to be taken with the recommended daily allowance and not more.
How to reap all the perks of tomatoes
Your can incorporate tomatoes into your diet in a number of forms—fresh, dried, or as sauce, salsa, or paste. This also allows you to enjoy tomatoes year-round.
The best way to get vitamins and minerals is through your diet. To ensure you are getting what you need, add plenty of superfoods to your diet. Superfoods are high in a variety of vitamins and minerals. These foods include broccoli, blueberries, leafy green vegetables, whole grains and many other foods.
Add fresh tomatoes to omelets and salads, and serve them sliced, drizzled with balsamic and garnished with fresh basil, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Dress fresh greens or steamed veggies with sundried tomato pesto, or drizzle it over broiled fish. Toss spaghetti squash or beans with tomato sauce, or use it as a topping for sautéed green beans or potatoes. Add salsa to scrambled eggs or taco salad, or spoon onto cooked fish, black beans, or brown rice. Use tomato paste in veggie chili, or mix it into hummus, along with roasted garlic and harissa.
