Tomatoes – an excellent step towards good health-
The refreshing taste of sun-ripened local tomatoes is a striking summer experience
Although nowadays tomatoes can be found on the market all year round, we feel all the benefits of tomatoes best in the summer months.
Tomato is the fruit of the Lycopersicon lycopersicum plant, and belongs to the Solanaceae family, which includes eggplant and potatoes among other fruits. The meanings of tomato names in different languages reflect the history and mystery surrounding this fruit. For example, Lycopersicon means “wolf peach” in Latin, and this term refers to the ancient belief that this fruit is dangerous. The French call tomatoes pomme d’amour, or “love apple,” and they gave it this name because of its potential aphrodisiac properties. In Italy, tomatoes are called pomodoro or “golden apple,” due to the fact that the first tomato species known to them were yellow in color.
Regardless of the name, tomato is a popular vegetable that can be found in more than a thousand different types that differ in shape, color and size – from very small, round tomatoes, through bright yellow types and Italian oblong tomatoes, all the way to green tomatoes whose preparation very popular in South American cuisine.
Only the fruit of this plant is edible, since the leaves contain toxic alkaloids.
Health benefits
Tomatoes are rich in various valuable nutrients and phytochemicals and therefore have an important place in the diet that we want to prevent heart disease and cancer. Regardless of whether it is raw tomatoes, soup or tomato sauce, increased intake of these vegetables is a great step towards better health.
Antioxidant and antitumor properties
A very hot topic in the field of food and phytonutrient research are studies on lycopene from tomatoes. This carotenoid is found in tomatoes and in all tomato products. It is a scientifically accepted fact that the availability of lycopene is higher from tomato products, which have been processed at elevated temperatures and to which oil has been added. Namely, the absorption of lycopene is facilitated when this molecule is dissolved in fat.
Unlike other phytonutrients, which are mostly studied in animal studies, lycopene from tomatoes has been tested repeatedly in human studies, and its protective role against the growing number of cancers has been proven. The protective role in prostate, breast, endometrial and lung cancer is most often mentioned in the studies. The antioxidant function of lycopene includes the protection of cells and cellular structures from damage caused by the action of free radicals, and this action is also important in the prevention of heart disease.
In addition to lycopene, which is in the focus of interest, tomatoes also contain a whole series of other, well-known, nutrients with antioxidant properties. Of course, these are vitamins C and A. These antioxidants travel around our body, neutralizing the harmful effects of dangerous free radicals, which can cause damage to cells and their membranes. These damages can gradually worsen various inflammatory processes, and cause atherosclerosis, diabetes complications and cancer.
Furthermore, tomatoes are a good source of dietary fiber, which is attributed to beneficial effects on cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and the latest research confirms their important role in the prevention of colon cancer.
Role in the prevention of heart disease
People who are at risk of atherosclerosis have a number of good reasons to include tomatoes at least in their summer menu. Namely, this attractive vegetable is rich in potassium, niacin, vitamin
B6 and folic acid. All these nutrients, with different mechanisms of action, contribute to the health of the heart and blood vessels, whether it is about lowering elevated levels of cholesterol, blood pressure or homocysteine, all of which are risk factors for the occurrence of heart disease.
And that’s not all…
Tomatoes are an excellent source of biotin, a B vitamin responsible for energy production, skin health and nervous system function. Tomatoes are one of the few significant food sources of vitamin K, which is important for bone health. Vitamin K1 activates osteocalcin, a protein that is responsible for retaining calcium in bones, i.e. bone mineralization. Due to the significant level of folic acid, regular consumption of tomatoes contributes to the protection against colon cancer.
People who suffer from migraines sometimes feel really helpless. Still, it might be worth trying to fight migraines with tomatoes. Riboflavin or vitamin B2, which is abundant in tomatoes, has been shown to be effective in reducing the frequency of migraine attacks. Tomatoes are a very good source of chromium, whose adequate intake is very important for diabetics. This nutrient has been shown to be effective in maintaining adequate blood sugar levels.
