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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Few foods are as delicious as farm fresh tomatoes in season from June till September. Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit, though they are usually referred to as a vegetable thanks to an 1893 government classification for produce trade purposes. Being very low in calories and natural sugar and high in nutrients, tomatoes resemble the nutrient content of vegetables more than fruits,
On medium tomato (4 ounces) has only 22 calories but packed into those few calories is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A as well as a good source of potassium and folic acid (a B vitamin). If you choose orange or yellow tomatoes the amount of folic acid doubles and triples respectively.
Almost more important than the nutrient contribution of tomatoes is their antioxidant value. Tomatoes are the best source of lycopene, a potent antioxidant that may reduce the risk of a wide range of health problems. Lycopene is a member of the carotenoid family of compounds. These are the compounds that give red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors.
Studies have shown that lycopene is helpful in protecting the skin from free radical-producing ultraviolet rays. The degree of sunscreen protection from oral lycopene is typically less than an SPF of 2 which is far less than using topical sunscreens. Nonetheless eating tomatoes in the summer will provide extra sunburn protection in addition to using sunscreen and provides a small amount of protection when sunscreen is not used.
Lycopene has been shown to be low in the blood of people with heart disease, particularly smokers. It helps to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and reduces inflammation, a known marker for heart disease.
Lycopene reduces the risk for a wide range of cancers and eating more tomatoes notably reduces the risk for prostate cancer. It also reduces the symptoms of exercise-induced asthma.
Cooking tomatoes helps to maximize these health benefits because heat releases lycopene from cell walls and makes it more readily absorbable in the body. Lycopene is a fat-soluble substance, literally meaning it dissolves in fat, so eating tomatoes with a little olive oil or an avocado will increase its absorption.
Tomatoes come in a variety of shapes and colors. All are good for you.
Beefsteak is a broad category characterized by a large shape that is ideal for slicing. The most famous is New Jersey beefsteak. Brandywines are typically found at farmers markets.
Grape are shaped like their name and smaller than cherry tomatoes. They have a low water content and are best eaten raw or roasted in a recipe.
Kumato is the trade name for this greenhouse-grown, brownish red, medium-sized tomato with a sweet/tart flavor.
Cherry tomatoes are round and bite-sized and can be found in any color – red, yellow, orange and black.
Roma also called plum tomatoes are more typically used for canned tomatoes and tomato sauce.
Campari are bright red and small with a very round shape.
Heirloom are very flavorful and uniquely shaped. Some refer to them as ugly tomatoes because of their irregular shapes. Yellow, pear-shaped, bite-sized heirlooms were one of the first tomatoes grown in the US. All heirlooms are grown from open pollinated seeds and never hybrid. They come in all colors.
Hybrid tomatoes are not genetically-modified but they are traditionally hybrid by crossing different types of tomatoes to arrive at one that is uniform in appearance, resists disease, and can be grown in the off-season.
Tomatoes should be stored at room temperature but can be held a few extra days in the warmest part of the frig. Unripen, green tomatoes can be ripened in a paper bag, in a single layer, stem down.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books. Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com