Health Benefits Of Tomatoes

Health Benefits Of Tomatoes
Isn’t it great that tomatoes look good, taste good and by golly do you good. There are numerous health benefits of tomatoes. If you start from fundamentals, tomatoes contain large amounts of Vitamin C benefits and are high on antioxidants vitamins like beta carotene and vitamin E. There are approximately 25 calories in tomato. Tomatoes contain 10 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of iron for men and 7 percent RDA for women.

Tomatoes are an excellent fruit with loads of nutrients for excellent health.

Some Major Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Lycopene

Lycopene is the red pigment contained in the tomatoes. It is a compound, which acts as an antioxidant neutralizing free radicals in the body and provides protection to cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage. Another antioxidant property of lycopene is prevention of heart disease. Studies have revealed this cartenoid’s cancer preventing properties too.

Unlike other food phytonutrients whose effects have been studied only on animals effects of lycopene have been studied on humans repeatedly. These studies have revealed that lycopene provides protection against a growing list of cancers, including prostate, breast, endometrial, colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancers.

How To Get Optimum Health Benefits From Tomatoes

- To get highest amount of lycopene, choose organic tomatoes, which give thrice as much of lycopene than the non-organic brands. One organic brand of ketchup delivers 183 micrograms of lycopene per gram where as per gram of non-organic brands deliver 60 to 100 micrograms of lycopene.

- Lycopene provides maximum cancer protection when consumed with fat rich foods like avocado, olive oil or nuts because lycopene being a cartenoid is fat-soluble. It is absorbed into the body along with fats.

Antioxidant Properties Of Tomatoes

Tomatoes provide excellent Vitamin A and Vitamin C benefits. Vitamin A is notable through its concentration of cartenoids including betacarotene. These antioxidants protect the cells and cell membranes from the harmful free radicals. High intake of these antioxidants reduces the risk of several diseases like asthma, colon cancer, progression of atherosclerosis, diabetic complications and rising inflammation.

Tomatoes Are A Good Source Of Fibre

Tomatoes are a good source of fibre providing 7.9 % DV for fibre. Thus tomatoes can prevent climb of blood sugar level, prevent colon cancer and can lower high cholesterol levels.

Tomatoes Can Reduce Heart Disease Risk

Researches have shown that the lycopene in tomatoes provide cardiovascular benefits and a dietary consumption of lycopene can protect the body from heart diseases.

Tomatoes are great sources of potassium, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Foods rich in potassium has been shown to lower high blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular risks, niacin is a safe way to lower high blood pressure thus curbing the risk of heart diseases. The body needs Vitamin B6 and folate for converting a potentially dangerous chemical called homocysteine into benevolent molecules, Homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel thus increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

A cup of tomato gives you 11.4 % of DV for potassium, 5.6% of the DV for niacin, 7.0 % of DV for B6 and 6.8 % of the DV for folate.

Tomatoes- Antidote To Blood Clotting Tendencies

Tomato juice with its blood thinning properties reduces higher risk of blood clotting tendencies. Tomatoes are most beneficial for people with high cholesterol, frequent long distance travelers, smokers and all those who have recently undergone a surgery.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of Tomatoes

Researches have shown that a daily glass of tomato juice (Lyc-o-Mato) can lower TNF-alpha, one of the primary markers of inflammation. Production of excessive free radicals within cells known as oxidative stress and the resulting inflammatory compounds like TNF alpha has a virtual link with diseases like osteoporosis, atherosclerosis (hardening of the walls of the arteries), cardiovascular disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Lyc-o-Mato tomato juice contains a list of potent antioxidants like 3.7 mg of phytoene, 2.7 mg of phytofluene, 5.7 mg of lycopene, 1 mg beta-carotene, and 1.8 mg of the alpha-tocopherol fraction of vitamin E.

Tomatoes For Bone Health

One cup of raw tomato contains 17.8% of the DV of Vitamin K. Vitamin K plays a crucial role in maintaining bone health. Vitamin K1 stimulates osteocalcin - the major non-collagen protein in bone, which anchors calcium molecules inside the bone. Thus inadequate levels of Vitamin K mean inadequate levels of osteocalcin thus hindering bone materialization.

Tomatoes Reduce Migraine Attacks And Diabetes

Tomatoes being good source of riboflavin often help to reduce frequency of migraine attacks. A cup of tomato contains 5.3% of DV for riboflavin.

Tomatoes also contain good amount of chromium, which helps to keep blood sugar levels under control. A cup of tomato contains 7.5% of the DV for chromium.

So take tomato in any form, tomato soup, tomato slice on a sandwich or tomato sauces and reap some best health benefits of tomatoes.