Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a flowering plant of the Solanaceae (Solanaceae) family that is widely cultivated for its edible fruits. Tomatoes are labeled as a nutritious vegetable and are a good source of vitamin C and the phytochemical lycopene. These fruits are commonly eaten raw in salads, as cooked vegetables, as ingredients in various dishes, and pickled. In addition, a large portion of the world's tomato crop is used for processing; products include canned tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato paste, purees, pastes and "sun-dried" tomatoes or dried pulp.
nutrient content
The water content of tomatoes is about 95%. The other 5% consists mainly of carbohydrates and fiber.
Here are the nutritional contents of 100 grams of raw tomatoes:
- Calories: 18
- Water: 95%
- Protein: 0.9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 3.9 grams
- Sugar: 2.6 grams
- Fiber: 1.2 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
carbohydrate
Raw tomatoes contain 4% carbohydrates, which for a medium sample is less than 5 grams.
Simple sugars, such as glucose and fructose, make up almost 70% of the carbohydrate content.
fiber
Tomatoes are a good source of fiber, providing about 1.5 grams of fiber per average-sized tomato.
Most of the fiber in tomatoes is insoluble, in the form of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin.
vitamins and minerals
Tomatoes are a good source of several vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin C. This vitamin is an essential nutrient and antioxidant. One medium tomato provides about 28% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI).
- Potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral that helps control blood pressure and prevent heart disease.
- Vitamin K1. Vitamin K, also known as phylloquinone, is important for blood clotting and bone health.
- Folic acid (vitamin B9). Folic acid is one of the B vitamins that is important for normal tissue growth and cell function. This is especially important for pregnant women.
Other plant compounds
The content of vitamins and phytochemicals in tomatoes varies greatly depending on the variety and sampling period.
The main plant compounds in tomatoes are:
- Lycopene. Lycopene is a red pigment and antioxidant that has been widely studied for its health-promoting effects.
- Β-CAROTENE. Beta carotene, an antioxidant that often gives foods a yellow or orange hue, is converted to vitamin A in the body.
- Naringenin. This flavonoid, found in tomato skins, has been shown to reduce inflammation and prevent various diseases in mice.
- Chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid is a powerful antioxidant compound that can lower blood pressure in people with elevated blood pressure.
Carotenoids such as chlorophyll and lycopene are responsible for tomatoes’ rich color.
When the ripening process begins, chlorophyll (green) is degraded and carotenoids (red) are synthesized.
Lycopene
Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in ripe tomatoes and is particularly noteworthy among the fruit's phytochemical compounds.
It is found in its highest concentration in the skin.
Generally speaking, the redder the tomato, the more lycopene it contains.
Tomato products—such as ketchup, tomato juice, ketchup, and ketchup—are the richest dietary source of lycopene in the Western diet, providing more than 80% of dietary lycopene in the United States.
Processed tomato products typically have much higher levels of lycopene per gram than fresh tomatoes.
However, the consumption of ketchup is usually very small. Therefore, it may be easier to increase your lycopene intake by eating unprocessed tomatoes, and tomatoes also contain much less sugar than ketchup.
Other foods in your diet may have a strong impact on lycopene absorption. Consuming this plant compound with a fat source can increase absorption by up to four times.
However, not everyone absorbs lycopene at the same rate.
Although processed tomato products are higher in lycopene, it is still recommended to eat fresh, whole tomatoes whenever possible.
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Consuming tomatoes and tomato products has been linked to improved skin health and a lower risk of heart disease and cancer.
heart health
One study of middle-aged men found that lower blood levels of lycopene and beta-carotene were associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
There is growing evidence from clinical trials that lycopene supplementation may help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Clinical studies of tomato products show benefits on markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.
They also show protective effects on the lining of blood vessels and may reduce the risk of blood clotting.
cancer prevention
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells beyond their normal boundaries, often invading other parts of the body.
Observational studies have noted an association between tomatoes and tomato products and reduced rates of prostate, lung, and stomach cancer.
While high lycopene content is considered responsible, high-quality human studies are needed to confirm the cause of these benefits.
One study in women showed that high concentrations of carotenoids may protect against breast cancer.
skin health
Tomatoes are considered good for skin health.
Tomato foods, rich in lycopene and other plant compounds, can prevent sunburn.
According to one study, people who consumed 1.3 ounces (40 grams) of tomato paste (providing 16 mg of lycopene) and olive oil daily for 10 weeks experienced a 40% reduction in sunburns.
business maturity process
As tomatoes begin to ripen, they produce a gaseous hormone called ethylene.
Commercially grown tomatoes are harvested and shipped when green and unripe. To turn them red before selling them, food companies spray them with artificial ethylene gas.
This process inhibits the development of natural flavors and may result in a tasteless tomato.
Therefore, locally grown tomatoes may taste better because they can ripen naturally.
If you buy unripe tomatoes, you can speed up the ripening process by wrapping them in a piece of newspaper and leaving them on the kitchen counter for a few days. Just make sure to check them daily for ripeness.
Safety and side effects
Tomatoes are generally well tolerated and tomato allergies are very rare.
allergy
Although tomato allergies are rare, people with grass pollen allergies are more likely to be allergic to tomatoes.
This condition is called pollen food allergy syndrome or oral allergy syndrome.
In oral allergy syndrome, your immune system attacks fruit and vegetable proteins similar to pollen, causing allergic reactions such as an itchy mouth, scratchy throat, or swelling of the mouth or throat.
People with latex allergies can also cross-react to tomatoes.
Physical description and cultivation
The plant requires relatively warm weather and full sunlight; it is grown primarily in greenhouses with cool climates. Tomatoes are often staked, tied or caged to keep the stems and fruits off the ground, and require constant watering to avoid flower end rot and fruit cracking. These plants are susceptible to a variety of pests and diseases, including bacterial wilt, early blight, mosaic virus, fusarium wilt, nematodes, and tomato hornworms. Many of these problems can be controlled through crop rotation, the use of fungicides and insecticides, and the planting of resistant varieties. The currant tomato (S. pimpinellifolium) is a closely related species that breeders have used to hybridize several pest- and disease-resistant tomato varieties.
history
This wild species originated in the Andes Mountains of South America, probably primarily in Peru and Ecuador, and is thought to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian Mexico; its name is derived from a Nahuatl (Aztec) word tomatl.
Tomatoes were introduced to Europe by the Spaniards in the early 16th century, and the Spaniards and Italians appear to have been the first Europeans to use them as food. In France and Northern Europe, the tomato was originally grown as an ornamental plant and was suspected of being a food because botanists believed it was a close relative of the poisonous belladonna and deadly nightshade. In fact, the roots and leaves of tomato plants are poisonous and contain the neurotoxin solanine.
The Italians called the tomato "pomodoro" ("golden apple"), prompting speculation that the first tomatoes known to Europeans were yellow. It has been suggested that the French called it "pomme d'amour" ("love apple") because of its believed aphrodisiac properties. However, some scholars assert that the tomato was originally considered a type of eggplant, a close relative of the eggplant. Eggplant is called pomme des Mours ("Moor's apple") because it is a favorite vegetable of the Arabs, and pomodoro and pomme d'amour may be a corruption of the name.
Tomatoes were introduced to North America from Europe. Thomas Jefferson is known to have raised tomatoes at Monticello in 1781. Tomatoes were used as food in Louisiana as early as 1812, but not in the Northeastern states until about 1835. Tomatoes were not widely popular in the United States until the early 1920s. century. The plant is now grown commercially around the world.
