Tasty Tomatoes: Special Health Benefits

As you gorge yourself on the luxurious summertime bounty of your tomato plants, you can take comfort in the fact that this particular indulgence is an exercise in good health. That’s because tomatoes are loaded with a longevity-enhancing antioxidant that is believed to afford protection from a variety of cancers, according to dietitian Jill Nussinow.

Rise of the Tomato Plant

Ironically, tomatoes were thought to be poisonous when the Spanish explorers of the New World originally brought them to Europe from their native South America. Their image was significantly rehabilitated in the 18th century when the French, who found tomatoes completely healthful and tasty, came to the conclusion that they enhanced love-making. Thus, the ruby fruit acquired the now-archaic nickname “pomme d’amour” or “love apple.”

Although no one today seriously believes tomatoes have any aphrodisiac aptitude, there is ample evidence that they do love you, even if they can’t help you love the one you’re with.

The Antioxidant, Lycopene

Medical studies have shown that the antioxidant lycopene, the substance that puts the red in tomatoes, is twice as powerful as beta-carotene (vitamin A) at neutralizing “free radicals”. Free radicals are oxygen molecules that can damage brain cells and degrade many parts of the body.

Most research on tomatoes, lycopene, and long-term disease outcomes is observational, meaning it can show associations but cannot prove that tomatoes alone prevent disease. Overall diet, lifestyle, and other factors often move together with higher fruit and vegetable intake.

Results indicate that diets higher in tomatoes and tomato products are associated with better cardiovascular markers and lower risk for some cancers in some studies, but the strength and consistency of these findings varies by outcome and population.

Cooked Tomatoes Have More Lycopene

The more tomatoes you eat, the more lycopene you get. But how you eat your tomatoes makes a difference in how much of the antioxidant you absorb. “The lycopene in tomatoes is more absorbable in the cooked form,” says Ms Nussinow.

So, you get the most punch from tomato sauces, soups and other recipes that call for heating the fruit. Cooking also shrinks the fruit, which means more tomatoes are needed to create the desired quantity of sauce or soup base. The more tomatoes you use, the more lycopene goes into the recipe.

But Raw Tomatoes Are Also Good

You’ll still get a good dose of the antioxidant from fresh, raw tomatoes as well as several other valuable nutrients. According to the California Tomato Commission, a medium-size tomato, which is only about 40 calories, contains 35% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of vitamin C and 15% of the RDI of vitamin A (beta-carotene).

Although it’s not as potent an antioxidant as lycopene, beta-carotene is good for the skin, eyes, and body tissue and for healing, says Ms Nussinow. Tomatoes are also cholesterol and sodium free.

If You Have a Digestive Challenge

Some people with diverticulitis, a digestive condition in which small pouches in the colon become inflamed or infected, find that seeded produce such as tomatoes can be uncomfortable.

Some individuals report better tolerance when tomatoes are prepared without the seeds, says Ms Nussinow.

Some people with arthritis report that nightshade vegetables (including tomatoes, green peppers, eggplant and white potatoes) seem to worsen their symptoms, although responses vary widely and the evidence is mixed.

Those who are allergic to tomatoes usually know it by age 3, she adds. Some, however, can consume the fruit in a cooked form but not raw.

Great Taste, Easy Preparation

Tomato lovers know there’s no truer tomato taste than the rich flavor of fruit plucked fresh from the farm or home garden. While any number of complicated recipes call for tomatoes, they are just as delightful eaten directly from the garden.

“The great thing about tomatoes is that they taste good, so people want to eat them,” says Diane Rooney, the registered nurse who is owner of Stony Farm, a farm specializing in organically raised heirloom tomatoes. “Those who turn their noses up at kale and collard greens can get vitamin C and other antioxidants by simply adding fresh tomato slices to salads and sandwiches.”

To make the most of your summer tomatoes and get a good dose of beneficial antioxidants, try some tasty dishes with tomatoes as a main ingredient.