Tomatoes are commonly thought of as a vegetable. However, they are citrus fruit. They are a remarkably versatile food item. They’re delicious in salads, raw, or as sandwiches, and they take on a delightfully sweet flavor when they are cooked. Their acidity makes them an ideal food for canines. They are such a vital component of American food that it’s difficult to believe they were once considered harmful. In the middle of the 1800s, they became an essential food item within the U.S.
A medium-sized whole tomato has approximately 22 calories, 0 calories from fats, five grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, one gram of protein, and 6 milligrams of sodium. It also contains forty percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C, 20% of RDA for vitamin A, 2,2 percent of RDA for iron, and one percent of the RDA for calcium. Here are some advantages of tomatoes in terms of health.
1. Prevention of Cancer
Numerous studies have shown that the more significant amount of tomatoes that people consume, the less risk they have of certain types of cancer, including prostate, stomach, and lung cancers. Lycopene, a chemical that is the cause of tomatoes’ red hue, is believed to be responsible for the cancer-fighting effect. Processing tomatoes have even more lycopene than raw tomatoes. Cooking can break down cell walls, allowing them to let the lycopene out. The consumption of tomatoes with an amount of fat, for example, olive oil, assists in allowing lycopene in its absorption into the bloodstream.
2. Prevent DNA damage
Tomatoes are loaded with essential antioxidants like Vitamin C along with Vitamin A. These vitamins help to fight DNA damage caused by free radicals. Thus, tomatoes could aid in preventing ailments resulting from age, like diabetes and atherosclerosis.
3. Reduce the risk of Heart Disease
The tomato is a rich source of nutrients, including folate, niacin, and vitamin B6, which are associated with a decreased risk of developing heart disease. One study revealed that women who consumed 7-10 portions of tomato products each week had a lower 29 percent rate of heart disease than those with a diet of less than a portion and half of the tomato products per week. The results were significantly better when women consumed tomato products with high oil levels.
4. Protect Against Thrombosis
Another study found that eating 8 ounces of tomato juice daily decreased platelet aggregation considerably for the subjects of the study. People who took a placebo had no benefits. It’s essential to consume low-sodium tomato juice to prevent thrombosis (blood clots within the blood vessels) if the high sodium levels can trigger adverse side effects in this kind of illness.
5. Protect yourself from Inflammation
A double-blind study showed that drinking one glass of tomato juice every day can lower the levels of in the blood of TNF-alpha to 34 percent. TNF-alpha is the cause of Inflammation. It is found in people suffering from the most degenerative chronic illnesses like heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.