The humble tomato is a fruit that is eaten and prepared as a vegetable. Known as the love apple it is one foodstuff that is found in every cuisine the whole world over except that of the Arctic north simply because it doesn’t grow there. It’s eaten in salads, made into rich unctuous sauces, clear chilled soups and comes in a huge variety of colours and flavours. The versatility is amazing from snacks to the main ingredient at dinner, the options are endless. As well as tasting really good when fresh and raw, they also improve with cooking unlike many fruit and vegetables.
Why are tomatoes a superfood?
Tomatoes were the world’s first superfood before the term was even a glimmer in a nutritionist’s eye. They have always been known to contain a high level of vitamin C but tomatoes are a beautiful low calorie, low fat food, in fact, no fat food rich in several key nutrients. Vitamin A and K as well as manganese, potassium and calcium, folate and fibre are all ingested when eating tomatoes.
It is however, the Lycopene content that has rocketed tomato to the top of the healthy food chart. Whilst research and debate continues into confirming the various claims made of the multitude of nutrients, studies have shown that Lycopene is an exceedingly powerful anti-oxidant that is effective in protecting against a variety of cancers, but most specifically prostrate cancer.
Lycopene has also been shown to be effective in preventing heart disease and can protect against cataracts and macular degeneration. You should note that Lycopene actually increases on cooking.
The other nutrients in tomatoes like vitamin B6, niacin, potassium and folate protect against heart disease whilst niacin can lower cholesterol levels and potassium can lower blood pressure.
Altogether all of the nutrients are effective in attacking the free radicals that damage the body cells and migraine sufferers might find the riboflavin helps reduce the frequency and severity of their headaches.
Tomatoes, whether, canned, fresh or puréed should be very near the top of any shopping list when you are following a low fat diet.
Food Group: Vegetables
Nutritional Values: Per 100g (fresh)
- 18 Calories
- 0g Fat of which 0% is saturated
- 4g Carbohydrates
Nutrients:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin K
- Potassium
- Manganese
- Folic Acid
