Is it good to eat tomatoes every day? It is a most asked question on the internet because people are not aware of the health benefits of tomatoes. People think it is just a common kitchen ingredient. In the United States about 200 years ago, there was a misconception that tomatoes are poisonous.
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But different research proved that tomatoes are healthy for humans. Tomato belongs to the nightshade family. According to reports of economic research services, Tomato is the 4th most used fruit on the internet. This originated in South America. It is originally a fruit. But it can be consumed as a vegetable. Tomatoes have different color shades like red, yellow, orange, and light green. It also has different shapes and flavors.
Additionally, research proved that tomatoes help to prevent and treat different health issues because They contain the antioxidant lycopene in them. This lycopene has many health benefits, like reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Moreover, they also contain vitamin K, folate, and potassium in it. If you want to know the benefits of eating tomatoes each day, keep reading this article because here we are going to explain how tomatoes will be beneficial for human health in 2023.
Nutritional value
Tomato is a great source of healthy nutrients that help to boost overall health. A report showed that the Tomato has 95 percent water content and only 5 percent fiber and carbohydrates.
According to a report from the USDA food composition database, 100 grams of Tomato contains
Total calories: 18
Water: 95 percent
Protein: 0.9 grams
Sugar: 2.6 gram
Fat: 0.2 gram
Fiber: 1.2 gram
What Do Tomatoes Contain?
- Carbs
4 percent of raw tomatoes are carbs. These are almost 5 g of carbs in 123 g of Tomato.
A study showed that 70 percent of this carb content is simple sugars like glucose, fructose, etc.
- Fibers
Tomatoes are a great source of fiber. An average-sized tomato contains 1.5 grams of fiber.
Fiber is present in insoluble forms in tomatoes, like hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin.
- Minerals and vitamins
Tomatoes provide a great number of minerals and vitamins to the body:
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a great antioxidant, and it is an important nutrient. You can get 28 percent of the daily recommended dose by consuming one medium-sized Tomato.
- Potassium
Potassium is considered good for pressure control and preventing cardiovascular diseases.
- Vitamin K 1
It is also known as phylloquinone. It is good for bone health and blood clotting.
- Folate
Folate is needed for tissue growth and cell function. It is important during pregnancy.
8 Health Benefits of Tomato
The benefits of eating tomatoes are impressive; there are different types of tomatoes available which are different in color, shape, and size, but all have health benefits. If you are a tomato lover and eat tomatoes daily, you have to know the scientifically proven health benefits of tomatoes.
1. Heart Health
Heart health is important for everyone because it is a sensitive part of the body. When it stops working properly, it causes heart issues. According to a report by the CDC, about 20.1 million people have heart issues. In heart diseases, two main conditions are heart attack and stroke, which are dangerous. These cardiovascular diseases are the common cause of death each year millions of people die each year. But now you don’t need stress because daily use of tomatoes helps to prevent heart issues.
According to research, middle-aged men have low levels of lycopene and beta-carotene, leading to a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes. Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene.
A study showed that if you take lycopene. It can aid you in lowering LDL and cholesterol.
According to research on tomatoes, they can help reduce inflammation and oxidative damage. They provide protection to the inner layer of blood vessels, thus making you immune to blood clotting.
2. Prevent cancer
Cancer means the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. These cells can spread to distant sites from the site of their origin. There are different types of cancer, like blood, lung, breast, etc. 5.5 percent of people have cancer in the US.
A study has linked tomatoes to cancers like prostate, lung, and stomach cancer. High lycopene content is thought to be responsible for this cause.
Research says that a high number of carotenoids present in tomatoes provides protection against breast cancer.
3. Improve the skin health
Do you have rough Skin? If yes, you don’t have to take tension because now you can improve your Skin by using tomatoes. Tomatoes are so good for skin health. Lycopene present in tomatoes provides protection against sunburn.
According to research, the one who consumes 1.3 ounces of tomato paste gets 16 mg of lycopene. In addition, if he takes olive oil with tomato every day for almost 10 weeks, he can have a 40 percent reduction in his chances of sunburn.
Additionally, Skin, hair, nails, and connective tissue contain collagen as an important ingredient in them.
Moreover, Vitamin A present in tomatoes can help in the production of collagen. vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy. Its Deficiency can also lead to more damage to sunlight, pollution, and smoke. Thus, it makes the skin look saggy and dull. It causes wrinkle formation and blemishes. Thus, it makes the skin look saggy and dull. The use of tomatoes helps to lower the deficiency of vitamin c.
So, add more and more tomatoes to your diet.
4. Lower the blood pressure
High blood pressure is a common but severe issue because it directly affects your heart and brain. According to reports, about 44 percent of people in the United States have high blood pressure. But now, people can lower their blood pressure by just eating tomatoes because they contain lycopene. Lycopene is beneficial in lowering blood pressure to the normal range. It also regulates the functioning of blood vessels.
In addition, Tomatoes also contain potassium in it, which also reduces blood pressure. More potassium use leads to more sodium loss in urine. Potassium reduces the vessel wall tension. Thus, it reduces blood pressure.
The American Heart Association suggests taking 4700 mg per day intake of potassium for an adult.
A report showed that Tomatoes are packed with vitamin C, which helps in reducing blood pressure.
You can store unripe tomatoes at room temperature. After ripening, you can store them in your refrigerator for 3 days. You can also preserve them for a longer time period. Buying fresh tomatoes is more beneficial.
You can keep your blood pressure within normal range by consuming less sodium. But potassium intake is necessary for the widening of arteries. National health and nutrition examination survey showed that less than 2 percent of U.S adults take the recommended dose of 4700 mg.
There is a 20 percent reduction in mortality if you take a high potassium and low sodium diet. So, tomatoes are a good source of high potassium.
5. Lower the sugar level
According to a study, people having type 1 diabetes who intake high fiber have low blood glucose. Research proved that tomatoes are fiber-rich food that helps you lower your blood sugar level.
A study showed that people with type 2 diabetes showed improvement in sugar, lipid, and insulin levels by eating tomatoes. One cup of tomato cherry has 2 grams of fiber.
According to the American diabetes association, women should take 25g of fiber while men should take 38g of fiber per day. So, Tomato is the best option to fulfill fiber needs.
6. Treat constipation
Tomato consumption provides hydration and keeps the normal bowel movement. Therefore, tomatoes are also known as laxative fruit.
As we know, fibers provide bulk to stool and are considered helpful in getting rid of constipation. Still, more research is required to prove tomatoes as laxative products.
7. Good for pregnancy
According to research during pregnancy, the Deficiency of folate leads to neural tube defects in the child. Therefore, it is important to take adequate folate before and during the pregnancy. So, what is the easy way to take folate? The answer to this question is Tomato.
You can get folic either through supplements or dietary measures.
Tomatoes contain folate. Thus, pregnant women can get their dietary folate from tomatoes.
8. Eye Health
Tomato is considered healthy for eyesight due to its high concentration of the antioxidant nutrient lycopene. Studies have shown that lycopene can help protect the eyes from damage caused by free radicals and potentially reduce the risk of developing age-related eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Additionally, tomatoes are also rich in vitamins C and A, which are essential for good eye health.
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Conclusion
Tomatoes are a nutritious fruit with several health benefits, including being high in vitamins C and K, a good source of lycopene, supporting heart health, supporting a healthy pregnancy, promoting healthy skin, reducing the risk of certain cancers, supporting eye health, etc.
It helps weight loss because it is low in calories and high in fiber. So, adding tomatoes to your diet is good because it will help you to live an illness-free life, so eat tomatoes daily.
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