Tomatoes – they’re our favorite fruit to cook into our food, so much so that they’re considered honorary vegetables. A lot of our popular foods make use of Tomatoes in some way, from pizzas and pastas to dips and soups. They can be eaten raw, dried, salted, or pickled; in fact, it feels like there’s a way to prepare tomatoes as much as there are ways to cook with them.

The tomato is well-loved in the fast metabolism diet, as well. It’s on the list of approved foods for Phase 1 in both fresh and canned form, which is rare, as the diet prefers going as organic as possible. The health benefits of the tomato is well-known throughout the diet communities, and because its water content is high (it’s 95% water), it makes for a healthy extender or snack that’s filling but doesn’t rack up the calorie count.

Here are the benefits of the tomato fruit – what nutrients it provides, how it helps keep us healthy, and some fun ways of adding it to our daily meals.

HOW HEALTHY IS THE TOMATO?

As mentioned previously, tomatoes have high water content. The remaining 5%, meanwhile, is made up of carbohydrates and dietary fiber. That’s not to say that the tomato is all air, however (or water, for that matter). A small tomato (weighing roughly 100g) contains 2.6g sugar, 3.9g carbohydrates, 1.2g fiber, 0.9g protein, and 0.2g fat.

In terms of nutrients, the humble tomato has a considerable list: it has folate, potassium, and vitamins C and K1. Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is crucial for tissue and cell growth, as well as keeping cells healthy. Meanwhile, potassium helps regulate blood pressure, and improves cardiovascular health, especially with regards to our hearts. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that protects us from infections, and vitamin K1 is critical for our immune system, especially for blood clotting, as well as for improving bone health.

Another nutrient that tomatoes have – and are most famous for – is lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that falls under the vitamin A family tree of nutrients, and has been linked to lowered risks of certain cancers. Lycopene also keeps our hearts healthy by helping clean out “bad” LDL cholesterol from our systems, and stimulates antioxidative processes in the body.

TOMATOES IN YOUR DIET

There are many ways to consume tomatoes.

The most popular by far is as a sauce or paste, as this is the most convenient form for cooking. Tomato sauce is made from chopped tomatoes that are boiled until its raw flavor is lost, after which it is either seasoned or used as a base for another dish. Meanwhile, tomato paste is made in a similar process, only the cooking is stopped when the tomatoes have broken down, after which the seeds are strained out and the skin is removed, and is then cooked again until it loses most of its water content.

Raw tomatoes, meanwhile, are typically used in sandwiches, stews, and salads. Dried tomatoes are a popular snack in the Middle East, and were once very popular in North America as a quick and healthy snack source for vitamin C. Finally, pickled tomatoes are a trending addition to cheese plates and as garnish to alcoholic drinks.

The possibilities are endless with tomatoes – they’ve been a part of many countries’ cuisines for centuries, and there’s a wide selection to choose from, whether you’d like to try savory dishes, soups, sandwiches, or even drinks. It’s a very healthy food item, on its own or as a byproduct.

Tomatoes are also very accessible and affordable; you’re sure to find a batch of tomatoes, fresh or canned, at your local grocers even during the current ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The bottom line is this: tomatoes are good for you, however you can get it.

So don’t be shy – make that tomato soup you’ve been yearning to make. A little tomato never hurt anybody.

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