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What are the Health Benefits of Tomatoes?

By A. B. Kelsey
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 17,149
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A tomato is the fruit of the plant Lycopersicon lycopersicum, which belongs to the nightshade ( Solanaceae) family that also includes bell peppers, white potatoes and eggplant. The word Lycopersicon means "wolf peach" in Latin, referring to the former belief that tomatoes, like wolves, were extremely dangerous. Tomatoes are in no way toxic, however. In fact, the numerous benefits of tomatoes add up to make the tomato a truly healthy food.

One of the benefits of tomatoes is that they are an excellent source of vitamins. One medium tomato provides almost one-half of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, an essential vitamin that also acts as an antioxidant. Vitamin C helps the human body form connective tissue, access iron and keep gums and capillaries healthy.

Tomatoes also contain a lot of vitamin A, mostly through carotenoids such as beta-carotene. This essential vitamin helps maintain normal cellular growth, keeps hair and skin healthy, aids in bone and teeth development and promotes proper vision. The antioxidants from vitamins A and C travel through the human body and neutralize dangerous free radicals that could damage cells and cell membranes.

Other benefits of tomatoes include their high amounts of vitamin K, potassium, niacin, vitamin B6 and riboflavin. These nutrients work together to lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, maintain bone health, enhance blood-clotting abilities and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney stones. Vitamin B6 also helps convert a potentially dangerous chemical called homocysteine into benign molecules. High levels of homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In addition, riboflavin can reduce the frequency of migraines headaches, so sufferers might benefit from adding a tomato to their daily diets.

In lesser amounts, tomatoes also contain vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, tryptophan and protein. A tomato is also a good source of chromium, a mineral that can help diabetics keep their blood sugar levels under control. In addition, tomatoes contain a high amount of fiber, which has also been shown to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Several of these nutrients are thought to prevent colon cancer as well.

Perhaps the most important of the many health benefits of tomatoes is that they contain the ingredient lycopene, which is the pigment in tomatoes that makes them red. Lycopene also acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that damage cells in the body. Growing research findings are reporting that the lycopene in tomatoes is a powerful inhibitor of prostate, colon, stomach, lung, breast and endometrial cancers.

To get the most of the many benefits of tomatoes, individuals should eat the brightest red tomatoes. The redder the tomato, the higher the amounts of lycopene and beta-carotene it contains. A yellow tomato has far less of these benefits and green tomatoes have none. Although uncooked tomatoes are healthy, more healthy compounds are released when they are cooked. In fact, tomato sauce and canned tomatoes are just as healthful as fresh tomatoes because high heat processing does not affect the nutritional value.

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Discussion Comments
By anon317500 — On Feb 02, 2013

I used to can tomatoes with my mom and the one way is to have a very hot, but not boiling pot of water. You put the whole tomato in the water for about five minutes or so, then the skin will come off in your hands. Then you can core it and it's ready for juicing.

By peasy — On Mar 15, 2011

@donna61--I tried juicing tomatoes for the juice benefits with my juicer and did not have much luck getting rid of the skin or seeds.

What I have found that works is to core and slice the tomato and heat until you get a boil, then simmer. Once this is done strain the juice to get rid of the seeds and skin. Refrigerate and drink as desired.

I usually sprinkle pepper and a little hot sauce in it. My father taught us that!:)

You can add all sorts of veggies to this, kind of make your own V-8 juice with organic veggies.

I have found it to be much healthier and it has saved us money in the long run. Try it and let us all know what you think.

By donna61 — On Mar 14, 2011

It is so nice to hear that any form of tomatoes has healthy benefits. Usually if you cook a fruit or vegetable it depletes the nutritional benefit.

I enjoy the benefits of tomato juice by juicing. I am not crazy about the skin being on it or the seeds so I am still working on that. Does anyone know how to take off the tomato skin without wrecking the tomato?

Also, by doing this, am I losing all the benefits? I know some fruits and veggies have most of the nutritional value in the skin, is this the case with the tomato?

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