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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Go Mediterranean with the Tomato, a superstar food in my opinion, and a top staple food found in the Mediterranean Diet! The popular tomato known as a vegetable is actually botanically a fruit. Since we’ve been discussing the staple foods of the Mediterranean Diet recently, known for its health properties, let’s discuss the tomato. Tomatoes are indeed a main component of this traditional healthy way of eating! In our country, the tomato ranks third in the top favorite for vegetables and it ranks as our second favorite when we consider how many different ways we eat it, including tomato sauce.
Eating tomatoes has been associated with a reduced risk of some cancers and other diseases, and this may be related to their antioxidant content particularly the carotenoids lycopene and beta-carotene. Tomatoes also contain phytoene, and gamma-carotene, other less known phytochemicals (and because of the high amount of carotenoids, tomatoes are a rich source of Vitamin A as well). These phytochemicals working together may inhibit the free radical production known to play a role in cancer cell growth. It is very important that we eat whole foods like the tomato to receive these benefits, and not just from supplements. Why? One study researched the synergistic antioxidant activity of lycopene in the tomato in combination with beta-carotene, along with the other carotenoids and found that the combined effects may be responsible to their disease fighting properties.
Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that is thought to reduce the risk of prostate cancer may also be a protector against other cancers. Some studies have shown a positive correlation between a diet high in Lycopene and a reduced risk for breast, endometrial and lung cancers as well. Tomatoes ripened on the vine have more lycopene, while cooked tomato products have more bioavailable lycopene. Bioavailable means that the nutrient is used in a higher quantity by our body! So, I guess that one Hollywood craze, the “raw foods diet” isn’t always the best!
High in C, potassium and a good source of folate (folate is known as a health promoting heart and nervous system B vitamin) in addition to our phyto’s, the tomato is low in calories with about 30 for a whole medium one! As with all our fruits and vegetables, it is low in fat, has no cholesterol and contains a healthy proportion of potassium to sodium. Tomatoes come in many varieties, such as beefsteak, cherry, grape, plum and slicing, and “Heirloom Tomatoes”, which boast hundreds of varieties.
Tomatoes can be used for sauces and stews, and they can be eaten grilled, or raw on a sandwich or in a salad. Of course they make up my favorite dip for chips, “Salsa” which I even add to a baked potato. How about we try a healthy gazpacho soup (really rich in nutrients and LOW in calories!), or a regular tomato soup as an appetizer?
Are we concerned about our weight? I love to recommend to my clients to order a tomato juice upon arriving at a restaurant to reduce their hunger (they report that helped when the bread basket arrived). Tomatoes are also great for adding more flavor to other veggies as a medley whether whole or as a sauce. The people of the Mediterranean use tomatoes for just about everything from salads to pasta dishes. I even love those little grape tomatoes with an ounce of string cheese as a quick nibbly snack (packs easy). Lastly, let’s not forget about the great taste of a thin crust veggie pizza with extra tomatoes (forgo the cheese for a lean treat!).
So, if we like tomatoes, but just seem to forget about them unless they are in a salad or as a sauce, here’s a little reminder of their importance and versatility. Can we think of other ways to add them to our diet?
Check out the Mediterranean Food Alliance for more info and go to www.oldwayspt.org/recipesresources/recipes to find lots of Mediterranean recipes and follow me Junefit every Sunday on Twitter for a new tool taken my book featuring “A Salad a Day” (www.amazon.com/Its-Not-Diet-Creative-Eating/dp/1432743597/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259605985&sr=1-1) to make my Black Bean, Corn, Tomato Salsa recipe!
Are we healthy yet? Go Mediterranean with the Tomato!!
June M Lay M.S.
JuneFit
Check out this week’s “Go Mediterranean” recipe for my Marinara Sauce at http://www.junefit.com/tips_recipehp.htm posted Wed. 20th. Here is also a recipe from the American Institute for Cancer Research for “Baked Greek Tomatoes” at http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?news_iv_ctrl=1121&abbr=dc_rc_&page=NewsArticle&id=7368
Junefit is included in Google’s top ranked women’s health resources http://directory.google.com/Top/Health/Women’s_Health/Resources/
June is Lifestyle Columnist at www.healthnewsdigest.com/
Sources:
Beecher,. Nutrient content of tomatoes and tomato products.Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1998 Jun;218(2):98-100.
Shi J, Antioxidative properties of lycopene and other carotenoids from tomatoes: synergistic effects.Biofactors. 2004;21(1-4):203-10.
c) 2011 junefit.com all rights reserved.
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