Back in the 18th Century you wouldn’t have found people telling you about the health benefits of tomatoes. In fact in the USA they were thought to be poisonous. Tomatoes do belong to the nightshade family, so maybe that’s why they were regarded as toxic. In the early 1800s Robert Johnson walked in to the middle of town and shocked people by eating a basket of tomatoes. They watched on but he obviously didn’t die and soon after tomatoes became a part of the American diet.
Tomatoes are easy to grow and most vegetable plots these days contain tomato plants. If you just take a ripe tomato and put the seeds in some compost you will have tomato plants emerging within weeks.
Far from being toxic, tomatoes are in fact nutritious.
Why are tomatoes good for you?
Lycopene
Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Studies have shown that men who eat 10 servings of tomatoes a week reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer by 45%. Lycopene also inhibits the growth of other cancer cells including colorectal and stomach cancer.
Anti aging effects are also reported and lycopene may help us remain active in later life.
Two other ingredients in tomatoes are coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid. These help block the effects of nitrosamines, which are a carcinogen in tobacco smoke. The best thing for your health would be to give up smoking but tomatoes are a tasty and helpful addition to your diet until then.
Vitamins
Tomatoes contain a lot of vitamin C, which has many health benefits. They contain Vitamin C which is an antioxidant, helping to prevent cell damage by free radicals. Vitamin C also helps in the production of collagen which is an important protein in skin, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels.
Tomatoes may also help to reduce your risk of heart disease. Thet are a good source of potassium, niacin, vitamin B6, and folate. Potassium has been shown to lower high blood pressure. Niacin can lower cholesterol. Vitamin B6 and folate have many important functions in metabolism, nerve function, liver health and red blood cell production.
Yet another vitamin in tomatoes is Vitamin K which helps to maintain healthy bones. Vitamin K1 activates osteocalcin, a protein that anchors calcium inside bones. Vitamin K is also important in blood coagulation.
Cooking releases the health benefits of tomatoes
When you buy tomatoes choose the ones with the brightest red color. This indicates high amounts of beta-carotene and lycopene. Tomatoes are one of the vegetables which get healthier when cooked. (In fact technically tomatoes are fruits not vegetables as the seeds are inside).
The lycopene is contained in the cell walls of the tomato. When you cook tomatoes more of the lycopene is released and is easier for your body to absorb. The absorption of lycopene is enhanced in the presence of oil so lightly frying in olive oil is a great idea.
You may not know that canned tomatoes, tomato puree etc contain all the beneficial nutrients. This means you can get the nutritional health benefits of tomatoes at any time of the year. A can of tomatoes is a great addition to your store cupboard staples.
Tomatoes are the basis of many easy nutritious sauces. Add some seasoning of your choice and pour over some pasta and you have an easy meal. Here is a basic tomato sauce recipe for beginners. I am vegetarian but the basic recipe can be adapted to suit your taste and preference.
Basic Vegetarian Tomato Pasta Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb minced Quorn
3 cans of tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dried oregano
3 bay leaves
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Gently fry the chopped onion until tender, add the garlic, and cook briefly.
Add the Quorn to the pot and stir until brown.
Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, and bay leaves.
Stir and simmer for 40 – 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the sauce from the heat, and serve over any pasta of your choice.
The leftover sauce will freeze well.
If you are a meat lover you can replace the Quorn with minced beef. Also try adding some Marmite, varying the choice of herbs adding some turmeric when frying the onion for additional health benefits etc.
Tomatoes have gone from being regarded as a deadly poison,to becoming a nutritious staple of our diet. They help to fight cancer, and contain many beneficial vitamins and minerals. So from salads to sauces add these power packed fruits to your diet and enjoy the health benefits of tomatoes every day.
