Tomatoes are bright red colored fruits. They consist of some nutritions which are very useful for good health and thus the nutritionist considers this as a vegetable. They consist of nutrients in ample amounts which benefit health, like vitamin A and vitamin C. Tomatoes are also cholesterol and fat-free with low calories and sodium content.
Nutritional Facts:
As per the dietary allowances, 100gm of tomatoes consist of the following nutrition:
Energy: 18 Kcal
Carbohydrate + Protein + Total fat: 5gm
Vitamins: 52%
Minerals: 19%
Due to such composition tomatoes are a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system.
Health Benefits:
Due to its sweet and tangy nature, its juices and soups are liked by most people and it helps in fighting diseases and weakness.
Good for skin and hair:
Due to their richness in vitamins A B C and E, tomatoes provide shine to the skin and also strengthen the hair follicles. It is also useful in reducing dandruff. Applying tomato paste unclogs the pores and increases blood flow in the new rejuvenating cells. Tomatoes nourish and hydrate the cells, which prevents irritation in the skin or scalp tissues.
Helps in the fight with cancer:
Tomatoes are relatively unique due to their being red in color. They are the major source of lycopene, which is a red-colored phytochemical. This phytochemical comes under a type of carotenoid. Early research which is conducted on tomatoes shows their effectiveness in prostate cancer. Tomatoes do not have a starch content and are thus beneficial for mouth, lungs, and stomach cancer. Its composition of vitamin C and beta-carotene decreases the activities of cancer-generating cells.
Reduce the risk of heart disease:
Antioxidants and potassium are the two main nutrients for maintaining good heart health. The antioxidants like lycopene help in reducing bad cholesterol and keep the blood in its consistency without getting clogged. Due to this the risk of strokes can be reduced. On the other hand, potassium keeps the blood pressure low, removes the excess sodium from the body, and thus relaxes the walls of the heart. One of the root causes of heart-related issues is inflammation in the internal walls. Tomatoes consist of anti-inflammatory properties which reduce these effects. Nutrients like vitamins B and E boost the efficiency of heart functionaries.
Helps in digestive health:
Tomatoes are one of the good probiotic foods. With its good fiber, it brings good bacteria to the stomach. These good bacteria encourage the system to work efficiently to its full capacity. These probiotics are quite powerful because they attach themselves to the cell wall and keep neutral balance in the digestive tracts. Tomato juice which consists of all the nutritive vitamins like A, B, and K protects the body from free radicals and increases the health of cells. The fiber of tomatoes helps in curing constipation, which sometimes causes various problems in the body.
Good for bone health:
Minor repairs to bone and its tissues are required on a daily basis. Tomatoes contain a good proportion of calcium and vitamin K. These two nutrients when working on a combined basis, provide good strength to the bones. They prevent oxidative damages in the body which mainly causes inflammation. Bone breakdown becomes common when such changes occur in the body. 1 cup of tomato, which is equivalent to 55 gm of lycopene, reduces these inflammations due to its antioxidant properties. The national nutritional database shows that antioxidants that are present in tomatoes provide high bone protective cells.
Helps in blood sugar balancing:
Fresh tomatoes of any species are low in sugar content; therefore their impact on the sugar level of blood is minimal. Due to the presence of potassium in the tomatoes, it regulates the sugar level in the blood. The glycemic index for them is 15 on a 5oz tomato, which is a low score. GI is a measuring unit of sugar in fruits and vegetables. Due to this low GI tomatoes digest very slowly in our systems and it also delays the effect that is created on the blood sugar level of the human body.
Prevents UTI:
Tomatoes contain a good amount of water which helps in stimulating urine to keep the bacteria out. They are also rich in vitamin C, which is a great help to dealing with tract infections and bladder problems. The antibiotics in the tomatoes keep the excess uric acid and salt out of the body, which lowers the risk of infection in the urinary tract, kidney, or even in the bladder. The vitamin C in tomatoes inhibits the growth of E. coli and thus the acidity decreases in the urine. This helps in getting less irritation or pain in the tracts. Also, the probiotic bacteria keep the bladder lining protected.
Helps in detoxification:
Tomato juice helps in releasing all the harmful chemicals from the body. Its detoxified nature flushes out all the extra minerals which create toxicity in the body. With the presence of potassium, tomatoes keep chlorine and sulfur out of the body system. The antioxidants it has are good toxic residues. Sometimes when the body does not detoxify easily, it starts retaining water and thus causes bloating. Cooked or raw tomatoes remove fat-soluble toxins, too, which eases water retention. Other chemicals cause adverse effects on the liver, but tomatoes are healthy substitutes for them.
Conclusion:
There are some basic contents a small-sized tomato has. These are:
0.2gm Fat
16gm calories
1.1gm Fiber
0.8gm Protein
3.5 gm Carbs
All these constituents are very beneficial for the body and help our human system to work well. Tomatoes detoxify the body and also improve eyesight. Its red color is attractive to people and its sweet-sour taste makes it more enjoyable. They are good for stomach health as the function of digestion becomes easier through this. Tomatoes can be called a friend to human health as it also helps in the fight against cardiovascular diseases and provides aid in many other forms too.
