Health Benefits of Tomato

About Tomato

The tomato is a most attractive, juicy and edible red fruit which was first originated in the Mexico. It was then spread all through the world by the America’s Spanish colonization. It is used in different ways whether it is raw or cooked such as the sauce, soup, salad, chatni, vegetables and etc.

Botanically, tomato is a fruit, but it is also considered as the vegetable used for the cooking purposes. Lycopene found in the tomato is a carotenoid pigment which is the main reason of the deep red, orange and tangerine colors of the tomatoes. Because of its richness in the lycopene it is very famous fruit which belongs to the Solanaceae (nightshade) family.

Approximately 7500 varieties of the tomatoes are grown which are being used for the various purposes. Tomatoes used for the sandwich making purposes are known as the Beefsteak tomatoes. Plum or paste or pear tomatoes are used for making sauce and paste. Whereas, Cherry and Grape tomatoes are used specially for making salads. China is the leading country which produces tomato at high level and then India, United States, Italy, Turkey and etc.

Tomato

Benefits of Tomato

Tomato is a citrus juicy fruit which has a lot health benefits and used by the people for various purposes. Here I Have mentioned a lot of nutritional health benefits of the tomatoes:

Reduces Risk of Prostate Cancer

• Tomatoes are loaded with the high amount of lycopene having anti oxidant property which reduces the risk of prostate cancer if eaten with broccoli.

Improves Body Ability to Absorb Phytochemicals

• Tomato enhances the body capability to absorb more carotenoid phytochemicals including lycopene when it is cooked in the olive oil.

Improves Nerve Signals Transmission and Body Fluid Maintenance

• Tomato is a rich source of mineral called potassium (534 mg of potassium per 1 cup tomato juice and 454 mg of potassium per half cup tomato sauce) which plays a very significant role in the nerve signals transmission, body fluid maintenance and etc.

Prevents from Intestinal Disorders

• It controls the high blood pressure to the normal, resist insulin, helps in the chronic fatigue syndrome, reduce muscle weakness, bloating as well as other intestinal disorders.

Prevents from Heart Diseases

• Yellow gel which envelops the tomato seeds has ability to check the clotting thus helps in preventing the strokes and major heart diseases.

Reduces Risk of Age Related Heart Diseases

• Tomato is the natural source of important nutrients like Niacin, folates, vitamin B6 and etc which reduces the hazards of heart problems and other age related heart diseases.

Purifies Blood and Removes Toxin

• They are very effective blood purifiers which remove the toxin from the body and prevents from many urinary tract infections.

Improves Eyesight and Prevents from Eye Problems

• Tomatoes are the natural sources having high level of the vitamin C, vitamin A, manganese and vitamin E which have anti oxidant property thus reduces the age related macular degeneration as well as improves the eyesight to a great level.

Reduces Risk of Cancer

• Eating tomato regularly reduces the risk of various cancers like lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, cervical cancer, stomach cancer, intestinal cancer, ovarian cancer and etc.

Prevents DNA Damage

• Its high antioxidant nature plays a great role in preventing the DNA damage from the free radicals as well as other age related diseases like atherosclerosis, diabetes and heart failure.

Lowers Bad Cholesterol Level

• Tomatoes are great having property to lower the bad body cholesterol and triglycerides thus lowers the risk of heart problems including the atherosclerosis.

Rich Source of Phytonutrients

• Tomato is very good natural resource of the variety of phytonutrients including naringenin, hydroxycinnamic acids, glycosides, kaempferol, caffeic acid, carotenoids, chalconaringenin, lutein, flavonols, rutin, esculeoside A, flavonones, zeaxanthin, lycopene, ferulic acid, coumaric acid, quercetin, beta-carotene, fatty acid derivatives, 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid and etc which have their own health benefits.

Improves Bone Health

• Tomatoes are good source of vitamin K which activates the osteocalcin (a non-collagen protein of bone). Osteocalcin anchors the calcium molecules inside bone thus it deeply involves in the bone health by protecting the bone tissues due to its antioxidant property.

Reduces Inflammation

• Tomatoes are loaded with the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients which protects us from the cancer.

Reduces Risk of Neurological Diseases

• Tomatoes are also helps in reducing the risk of neurological diseases including the Alzheimer’s disease as well as risk of obesity.

Destroys Free Radicals

• Antioxidants property of the tomato neutralizes the dangerous free radicals all through the body thus prevents from the atherosclerosis, asthma, diabetic complications, colon cancer and etc.

Source of Dietary Fibres

• As tomatoes are the good source of fibres, it lowers the high cholesterol levels, maintain blood sugar levels, and prevent from colon cancer.

Rich Source of Riboflavin

• Eating tomato regularly reduces the frequency of migraine attacks due to its richness of riboflavin. Its chromium content helps the diabetic person in keeping their blood sugar levels in control.

Rich Source of Vitamin C

• Vitamin C content of the tomato helps in keeping the teeth and gums healthy, speed up the wound healing process, enhances the fat metabolism and vitamins and minerals absorption.

Sliced Tomato

Benefits of Tomato for Men

Prevents from Impotency

• Tomatoes are great which prevents the impotency as well as enhances the sperm count and quality among men.

Benefits of Tomato Juice

Prevents from Osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s Disease

• Tomato juice also plays a big role in preventing a person from the variety of inflammatory diseases such as the osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and etc if he or she drinks approximately 8 ounces of the tomato juice with low sodium.

Prevents Blood Clots Collection in Blood Vessel

• Having eight ounces of the low sodium tomato juice on daily basis reduces the platelet aggregation and protects from the thrombosis means the collection of the blood clots in the blood vessel.

Prevents from Chronic and Degenerative Diseases

• Drinking a glass of tomato juice daily reduces the level of TNF-alpha by 34% in the blood (inflammation causing agent) thus prevents from the various chronic and degenerative diseases including the osteoporosis, heart diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s and etc.

Makes Body Powerful Internally

• Tomato juice acts as a very good diuretic, antitoxic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic, antipyretic, saharoponizhayuschim and antimicrobial agents.

Relieves Constipation

• Regular drinking of tomato juice relieves from the constipation and prevents blood clots.

Prevents from Diseases

• Tomato juice prevents from eczema, eye diseases, cardiovascular diseases, prenatal health issues.

Reduces Skin Cells Damage

• Tomato juice reduces the acne, pimples and prevents skin cells damage.

Improves Eyesight and Hair Growth

• Tomato juice has high level of vitamin A which improves the eye sight and hair growth. It makes the hair strong and shiny.

Promotes Good Digestion

• It improves the appetite and aids in good digestion.

Beneficial for Mother and Baby

• Its rich Vitamin C content provides a lot of benefits to the pregnant women and her babies. It nourishes the immune system and reduces arthritis problems.

Helps Alcoholics

• Tomato juice helps to the alcoholics to get free from the effects of hangover.

Natural Antiseptic

• Tomato juice works as a natural antiseptic which prevents from the common infections.

Benefits of Tomato for weight management

Rich Dietary Fibres and Low Calorie Food

• As tomatoes are the rich source of dietary fibres, low in calorie and fat free thus it is widely used to manage the weight.

Benefits of Tomato on Skin

Home Remedy to Get Healthy and Glowing Skin

• Tomatoes are also used as the skin care products and other beauty products as it enhances the skin porosity and prevents from many skin problems.

Prevents Ageing of Skin and Hair

• Tomatoes has anti-ageing affect on the body due to its antioxidant lycopene content thus makes the skin and hair healthy.

Protects from UV Rays

• It boosts the skins ability to get protected from the UV rays.

Benefits of Tomato Soup

Loaded with Vitamins and Minerals

• Tomato soup has more health benefits (by getting added with other vegetables) other than tomato products. It provides an instant body energy and freshness as it is loaded with the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

Benefits of Tomato on Face

Cures Sunburn and Dull Skin

• Tomatoes are very helpful in curing the large pores as well as reducing the acne, rashes, relieve from sunburn and makes the dull skin to glow. It is widely used as homemade beauty remedy.

Prevents from Infection

• It shrinks the big pores thus reduce the chances of infection to the skin pores. Take one tsf tomato juice with few drops of lime juice and apply on the face. Wash with cool water after 15 mins.

Promotes Acne Healing

• It helps a lot in the acne healing as it is acidic in nature.

Remedy to Oily Skin

• It works as an astringent thus helps to get free from the oily skin. Apply mixture of cucumber juice and tomato juice on face to control oiliness and acne.

Moisturizes Skin

• It has great antiseptic and moisturizing effect on the skin.

Soothes Skin

• It provides relief from the burnt, itchy and inflamed skin. Apply mixture of tomato juice and plain yogurt on the face, neck, hands or feet for 20 mins.

Provides Glow to Skin

• It helps to get glowing skin if applied the mixture of honey and tomato juice for 15 mins.

Lightens Skin Color

• It lightens the skin color if applied the mixture of oatmeal, tomato juice and yogurt for 20-30 mins by exfoliating and removing the skin blemishes and dead skin.

Removes Sun Tan

• It acts as a sun tan removal if applied as a face mask of tomato juice and gram flour for 15-20 mins.

Makes Skin Fair

• Applying the mixture of sandalwood powder, tomato juice and lemon juice for 15 mins makes the skin glowing, fair and radiant.

Normalizes Dry Skin

• To make your dry skin normal apply the tomato and olive oil mask on the face for 15-20 mins and wash with warm water.

Beauty Benefits of Tomato

Super Food

• Tomato is used in many ways for the various beauty benefits purposes. It is called as the super food as it has multiple properties.

Enhances Natural Beauty

• It aids a lot in enhancing the women’s natural beauty as it makes the skin and hair healthy and glowing.

Cleanses and Rejuvenates Skin

• It is a great natural scrub and ideal exfoliater which cleanses and rejuvenates the skin to provide youthful look.

Nutritional Benefits of Tomato per 100 g

(Source: USDA Nutrient database)

Energy: 18 kcal

Carbohydrates: 3.9 g

Sugars: 2.6 g

Dietary fiber: 1.2 g

Fat: 0.2 g

Protein: 0.9 g

Water: 94.5 g

Vitamins

Vitamin A: 42 μg

Vitamin C: 14 mg

Vitamin E: 0.54 mg

Thiamine: 0.037 mg

Niacin: 0.594 mg

Vitamin B6: 0.08 mg

Vitamin K: 7.9 μg

Minerals

Potassium: 237 mg

Magnesium: 11 mg

Manganese: 0.114 mg

Phosphorus: 24 mg

Antioxidants

Lycopene: 2573 µg

Lutein and zeaxanthin: 123 μg

Beta-carotene: 449 μg

How to Select and Store Tomato

Prefer to buy tomatoes having vibrant and rich red colors as they have wonderful nutritional health benefits. Always buy good shaped, even skinned without wrinkles, bruises, cracks or any spots as they may get some infections. Avoid buying the canned tomatoes as they can cause corrosion due to the high acid content.

Tomatoes are very susceptible to the cold which hinder its ripening process, so store them at the room temperature and avoid the direct sunlight exposure. Tomatoes can be stored up to a week depends on their ripe percentage. Its ripening process can be enhanced by placing them in the paper bag together with the banana or apple.

If you are buying the tomato ketchup make sure that it is organic ketchup as non-organic ketchup may have unwanted pesticides, contaminants as well as the low lycopene content. Tomatoes should be washed well under the running water before serving.

Avoid cooking tomatoes in the aluminium cookware as high acid content of tomatoes interacts with the metal used in the cookware which cause presence of aluminium into the cooked tomato , which may not only impart an unpleasant taste, but more importantly, may have a potentially unwanted impact on your health.

How to Enjoy Tomato

Tomatoes can be enjoyed by eating it raw or cooked in many ways such as the tomato chatni, soup, salad, salsa dip, sandwich, vegetable, juice, tomato chaap and so many.

Disadvantages of Eating Tomato

• Tomato leaves are poisonous which causes rigorous mouth and throat irritation, diarrhoea, dizziness, mild spasms, vomiting, headache, and even death.
• Its high acid content may disturb the stomach functions.
• Its high level of calcium, oxalic acid, purine, uric acids increases the risk for kidney stone formation. If the person is already suffering from the kidney stone, he must avoid eating tomato.
• Some people do not able to digest tomatoes as they are allergic to the tomatoes.
• Some individual feels itching, hives or breathing problems if eaten in salad.
• Sometimes the lycopene intolerance may lead to the bloating in stomach, pain or diarrhoea.
• Some people feels heart burn or acid reflux if eat tomato in any form.
• The people suffering from problems like irritable bowel syndrome should avoid consuming tomatoes.

Disadvantages of Tomato during Pregnancy and Breast Feeding

• Eating tomato is safe for both but in limit whereas high amount can cause severe health problems.

Disadvantages of Tomato Seeds

• Eating tomato seeds from longer time may lead to the formation stones.

Disadvantages of Tomato Sauce

• Tomato sauce or ketchup may cause some severe health hazards in the person suffering from the acidity, gastritis and other stomach problems.
• High sugar content of the tomato sauce is very risky for the diabetics.
• Enough sodium level of the tomato sauce may lead to the severe problems (high blood pressure, blood vessel walls damage, stroke, heart attack and etc) in the heart patients.
• Its high fructose corn syrup may cause weight gain, obesity, enhance blood sugar level, dizziness, nauseated and tired.

Disadvantages of Tomato Juice

• Drinking tomato juice in large amount may lead to severe diseases like stomach ulcers, gastritis, urolithiasis, pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis and etc.
• People suffering from the gall bladder problems should avoid drinking the tomato juice.

How Many Tomatoes Should You Eat a Day

As tomatoes have both advantages and disadvantages for the normal health, it should be eaten in normal quantity to get only required nutrients for the body building as high level of any nutrient has opposite effect on the body health.