Benefits of Tomatoes
What is Tomato
Tomato comes is in the fruit category. Tomatoes binomial name is Solanum lycopersicum.
Fruits are called that have a minimum of one seed and similarly, it starts life journey initially from the flower on the plant. According to these botanical definitions, tomato becomes the fruit. Benefits of tomatoes are important factor to our body for daily needed nutrition.
Which countries are ranking on top in the production of Tomatoes?
China
India
UK
Turkey
Unites States
Egypt Iran
What are the Health Benefits of Tomatoes?
1. Nutritional Value of Tomato
Benefits of tomatoes are increased for their core nutrients. carbohydrates (dietary fiber, sugar), proteins, water, fat, lycopene, minerals (phosphorus, potassium, manganese, magnesium), Vitamins (Vitamins- B6, C, E, K & thiamine, niacin)
2. Improves Immunity System
Lycopene is an important antioxidant. It saves our body cells from the bad effects of free radicals.
Foods like tomatoes that are high in lycopene, can reduce your chances to get infected from lung, prostate, and stomach cancer.
3. Healthy Heart
The lycopene is also helps for lowering the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and the blood pressure. This means minimizes the possibility of heart related diseases. Flavonoid (Antioxidant), Vitamins C, potassium, choline and fiber etc. promotes our hearts good health.
Homocysteine means amino acids and this is because of protein breakdown. Folate components of Tomato smoothens the balance homocysteine levels, thus reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
It is said that eating of tomatoes are more beneficial than consuming lycopene supplements.
4. Tomatoes for Lung’s
Tomatoes are useful for asthma and also play role in emphysema prevention.
This fruit ate comes on the category of good dietary source of lycopene. Carotenoid antioxidant assist in lung health improvement.
Consumption of this fruit reduces our airway related Inflammation and promotes Lung’s functions. It minimizes the chances that cause asthma as well as respiratory related diseases.
Beta-carotene components of tomatoes make the lung ageing process slow.
5. Tomatoes for Blood Pressure
Drinking unsalted tomato juice daily will help you to deal with blood pressure issue. This juice will be further helpful in managing of cholesterol levels of our body and for reducing risks of cardiovascular disease.
6. Benefits of Tomato for Eyes
This fruit contains lutein and zeaxanthin that support our eyes.
Tomatoes are enriched with beta-carotene, lycopene & lutein. These antioxidants are great for protect our eyes. It may prevent against the light-induced damages like cataracts and AMD (age related macular degeneration).
7. Benefits of Tomatoes for Skin
As you know sunscreen & hats are better to protect your skin, even you can cover by some thin cloth. Similarly lycopene containing in tomatoes can work like shield for your skin. It not needed to directly apply on face rather than It works on our cells through inside.
Tomatoes nature is acidic and it contains Vitamins C & potassium. This will help to restore the glow of skin. Lycopene is antioxidants and supports for reduction in open pores, blackhead etc.
8. Tomatoes for Cancer
As tomato has great source of antioxidants, vitamins C, it becomes obstacles I the way of free radicals formation that causes for cancer. Some studies claim that tomatoes can five protection to from the prostate cancer. This red fruit is able to guard our DNA of cells from getting damage which may cause cancer.
9. Tomatoes for Diabetes
This red fruit can protect the people that comes in the categories of type 2.
Tomatoes have low carbohydrates. It has less impact on our blood sugars as well as it is safe consumption for diabetics. Try to eat fruit and not the juice.
10. Tomatoes for constipation
Food which has higher water content, fiber that are good for smooth bowel movements and hydration.
11. Benefits of Tomatoes for Pregnancy
It is important to get sufficient folate (folic acid) consumption before and similarly during the pregnancy. Even this is available in the form of supplements & can get through food intake.
Tomatoes are natural source for folate. It is loaded with Vitamins Tomatoes are loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K & Potassium but it should be avoided in large quantities.
What are the demerits of Tomatoes?
Along with benefits ot tomatoes, we should also aware the bad effects on our health. Below are some demerits of tomatoes, but note that it occurs in case if you eat in large amount. Also advise to get consultation from Doctor if you have any related disease.
1. Reflux of Acid
This fruit have citric acid & malic acid, that can turn our stomach into excessive acidic.
If we eat more quantity then it may cause heart burn or acid reflux, this is because excess gastric production in our stomach.
People who regularly face digestive stress should think before eating tomatoes or better to take advise from your doctor.
2. Kidney Stones
Eating of access quantity of tomatoes may push you in trouble, stone can start its journey in your kidney. It has oxalate, calcium, if these become extra in our body, then hard to remove from the body or even to metabolise. The particle then starts gathering in the form of stone & keep rising their size if not treated at initial stage.
Potassium containing in tomatoes can harm the patient related to kidney disease, hence better to avoid consumption of red fruit by such affected persons.
3. Allergy
Histamine compound of tomatoes can liable for skin rashes or allergies.
People who have allergy from tomato may get symptoms as mentioned below.
Mouth & face Throat irritation
Swelling of tounge
Sneezing
Itching
Skin rashes
Eczema
4. Skin Discoloration
Lycopene is important and essential factors of this red fruit but if proportion gets increased more then certain limit then it harms. Higher amount of lycopene in blood results in skin discoloration (lycopenodermia).
5. Liable for Joint Pain
Tomatoes should be consumed in rational or moderate amount otherwise it will have an adverse effects on our health.
Swelling and joints pain are some of the demerits. Alkaloid of tomato builds the calcium In our body tissues.
6. Digestion
Tomatoes are good for digestion but access eating will work opposite.
You will get affected more if already have been facing irritable bowel syndrome. It may also cause diarrhoea.
7. Precautions for Cancer Patients
The lycopene of tomato is good & healthy in moderate proportion. It is said that lycopene intervene with some types of medications related to chemotherapy. Hence cancer patients should take advise from their doctor before consumption of tomatoes.
8. Increase of Blood Pressure
Raw tomatoes are not that much higher in sodium content (around 5 mg), This will not intervene in the process of blood pressure hike instead it reduce the levels.
If you consume it in other form I.e. Soup or canned tomatoes then it may hike the blood pressure due to containing of high proportion of sodium.
9. Urinary Hurdles
Tomatoes nature is acidic. In case you face urinary infections or related problems then think before eating tomatoes. It may irritate the bladder and feelings of burning sensation.
10.Low Blood Sugar
Tomatoes consumption are good for health in so many reasons but overdose worsen the situations.
This red fruit has low glycaemic index. It also provide benefits for those people who have diabetes, release the sugar in bloodstream with slow rate.
Too much tomatoes eating may take the blood sugar levels further lower than risk levels, it is called as
Hypoglycaemia. It will result in adverse effects on health like dizziness, sweating, blurry vision & faster heartbeat etc.
11. Precautions in Pregnancy Periods
Actually tomatoes are worthy to eat for their amazing nutritional contents as well as antioxidant properties.
Tomatoes have Vitamins C & K, potassium, folate etc. Ensure that you consume it in moderate amount.
Frequently asked questions.
1. Why the color of Tomato is red?
The colour of plants or fruits is caused due to the pigment present in such various plants.
In the process of tomatoes ripening chlorophylls gets transform gradually into the carotenoid. This component make the tomato colour red.
2. What is beneficial – Raw or cooked tomatoes?
Some foods are loses their nutritional value proportion by cooking.
Tomato is known for its adequate lycopene (antioxidants) source. Power of this antioxidant can be increased by just simply cooking them.
Cooking of tomatoes increases the phytochemicals levels the contains.
Demerits of tomato cooking is the vitamins C levels decreases.
3. Are too much eating of tomatoes bad for our health?
Tomatoes contains alkaloid (solanine). Excess consumption of this red fruit may lead to swelling, joint pains etc. It may also causes for skin related diseases.