11 Impressive Benefits of Tomatoes
The health benefits of tomatoes include eye and gastrointestinal health and lowering blood pressure. They also provide relief from diabetes, skin problems, and urinary tract infections. It also improves digestion, promotes blood circulation, lowers cholesterol levels, improves fluid balance, protects the kidneys, detoxifies the body, prevents premature aging and reduces inflammation. Tomatoes are made up of numerous antioxidants that have been shown to fight many forms of cancer. They are also a rich source of vitamins and minerals and have a protective effect.
What are tomatoes?
Tomatoes are considered fruits and vegetables and form an essential diet around the world, especially in the Mediterranean region. Daily consumption of tomatoes significantly improves health while improving the taste of food. It can be found in other foods such as pasta, pizza, ketchup, and various drinks. They are relatively easy to grow and grow, making them an excellent food source, which is a big reason why tomatoes are a staple food in many countries.
The scientific name for tomatoes is Solanum lycopersicum and they are believed to be native to Mexico. However, the spread of tomato cultivation was due to Spanish colonization in the United States and Central America. They are annual plants that grow with small, medium-sized, round red berries. They have soft, pinkish-red flesh and multiple seeds. It has a slightly sweet taste. They are all considered vegetables and fruits and weigh approximately 4 ounces.
Nowadays, tomatoes are grown in many countries around the world, and thousands of varieties offer unique health benefits. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why they are such valuable food items for human health.
Tomato Nutritional Information
The health benefits of tomatoes are due to their abundance of nutrients and vitamins. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, tomatoes contain vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, as well as significant amounts of vitamin B6, folic acid and thiamine. They are also good sources of potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and copper. They have fiber and protein. Not only that, but there are also numerous organic compounds, such as lycopene, that have health benefits.
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
The health benefits of tomatoes have been known to mankind since ancient times. They are rich in antioxidants that have been proven to be effective against several forms of cancer.
1. Antioxidant _
Tomatoes contain high amounts of lycopene, and antioxidants, and are very effective in scavenging cancer-causing free radicals. Heat-treated tomato products such as ketchup can also benefit from this. Edward Giovannucci, Ph.D., Prostate Cancer Research, Harvard School of Public Health, found that the lycopene in tomatoes is effective in fighting cancer defenses. It also protects against cancers of the pharynx, esophagus and mouth, as well as breast, cervical, stomach, and rectal cancers.
2. A rich source of vitamins and minerals
A single tomato can provide about 40% of your daily vitamin C needs. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant that prevents cancer-causing free radicals from damaging your body’s systems. It is also rich in vitamin A and potassium as well as iron. Potassium plays an important role in maintaining nerve health, and iron is essential for maintaining normal blood circulation. Vitamin K, essential for blood clotting and bleeding control, is abundant in tomatoes.
3. Guard your heart.
Lycopene in tomatoes has a protective effect on cardiovascular disease by preventing the oxidation of serum lipids. Regular consumption of tomatoes or tomato juice reduces the level of LDL cholesterol.
4. I cope with the effect of smoking cigarette
In tomatoes, coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid fight nitrosamines, the major carcinogens found in tobacco. The presence of large amounts of vitamin A may reduce the effects of carcinogens and protect against lung cancer. Additionally, Sanjiv Agarwal, a research doctor in the Department of Medicine and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto, Canada, said it may help prevent various forms of cancer.
5. Improve the vision
Vitamin A present in tomatoes can help improve vision and prevent night blindness and macular degeneration. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant, which can cause excess beta-carotene to form in the body. Many vision problems are caused by free radicals and their side effects. Vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant, helps with prevention.
6. Helps digestion
Tomatoes help keep your digestive system healthy by preventing constipation and diarrhea. It also prevents jaundice and effectively removes toxins from the body. Also, they have a lot of fiber, which can make your intestines bulky and reduce constipation symptoms. A healthy amount of fiber stimulates peristalsis in the smooth digestive muscles and releases gastric and digestive juices. It regulates bowel movements, improving overall digestive health and helping you avoid conditions like colon cancer.
7. Lowers high blood pressure.
Daily consumption of tomatoes lowers the risk of high blood pressure. This is partly due to the impressive level of potassium found in tomatoes. Potassium is a vasodilator, meaning it increases blood circulation by relieving tension in blood vessels and arteries, and lowers stress on the heart by eliminating high blood pressure.
8. Diabetes Management
A study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that daily consumption of tomatoes reduced oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes.
9. Skin care
Tomatoes help maintain healthy teeth, bones, hair and skin. Topical application of tomato juice is known to treat severe sunburns. Daily consumption protects the skin from UV-induced erythema. It scores high in the manufacture of anti-aging products.
10. Prevention of urinary tract infections
Tomato consumption reduces the incidence of urinary tract infections as well as bladder cancer. This is because tomatoes are high in water content, which can stimulate urination. Therefore, they are diuretics. This increases the removal of toxins from the body as well as excess water, salt, uric acid, and some fats.
11. Tomato doll prevention of gallstones
Regular consumption of tomatoes can help get rid of gallstones. There have been various studies to prove its effectiveness against many chronic diseases and various types of cancer. The antioxidant properties of tomatoes come from processed foods such as ketchup and purees. Daily consumption of tomatoes meets the requirements of vitamins and minerals and exerts an overall protective effect on the body.
Why are organic tomatoes better?
According to a study from the University of Barcelona, organic tomatoes are produced in a low-nutrient environment with no added nitrogen-rich chemical fertilizers. This leads to the excessive formation of antioxidants such as quercetin and kaempferol in organic tomatoes. As we all know, antioxidants are good for health and help reduce heart disease. Moreover, chemical-based tomato farming involves mass spraying of tomatoes with pesticides.
