One of the low-calorie vegetables, tomatoes are an excellent source of antioxidants like lycopene (found in red fruits), B carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein and Vitamin C. They also contain good amounts of vitamin K and B, as well as minerals like copper, manganese and potassium. Flavonoid content of tomatoes is also high, with up to 98% of the total flavonoids contained in its skin.
Antioxidants protect the human body from cell and tissue damage, by reducing or preventing the effect of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage the cells in the body. These are produced in the body and by exposure to environmental sources such as air pollution, cigarette smoke, alcohol, pesticides etc. Lycopene is one of the most potent antioxidants.
Lutein and zeaxanthin help protect the eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. In the human eye lutein is concentrated in the macula, the part of the eye responsible for color and fine detail vision. Tomatoes help in lowering the incidence of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and development of cataracts. ARMD causes loss of central vision in the eye.
Selection
- Buy fresh, firm, well-shaped, smooth skinned, bright red colored tomatoes.
- Avoid those with wrinkles, cracks, bruises, discolored spots and too soft and mushy.
Storage
- Optimal storage place depends on the degree of ripeness of tomatoes.
- Unripe / semi ripe tomatoes should be stored at room temperature, out of direct exposure to sunlight.
- Storing in the refrigerator would impede the ripening process.
- If you want to speed up the ripening process, place the tomatoes in a paper bag with a banana or an apple. The ethylene gas emitted by these fruits can help speed up the ripening.
- Ripe tomatoes are one of the easily perishable vegetables and should be stored in a closed container in the refrigerator. Use them while they are fresh to gain full benefits of vitamins and antioxidants.
- When tomatoes are refrigerated, volatile compounds that contribute to its flavor begin to break down. So do cell walls, damaging its texture.
Preparation
- Remove them from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before using for maximum flavor and juiciness.
Research on Nutritive value of Raw / cooked tomatoes
- Effect of Heat on Lycopene, total antioxidants and Vit C
Vit C content decreases while lycopene and other antioxidant levels increase substantially on heating.
- Effect of consumption of 3 versions of tomatoes (raw tomatoes, cooked tomato sauce made without olive oil and cooked tomato sauce with olive oil) on inflammatory response – University of Barcelona
Study results showed that while all three versions of the tomatoes were able to lower the inflammatory markers, tomato sauce prepared with olive oil did a better job of lowering them than either raw tomatoes or tomato sauce free of olive oil. The researchers concluded that this combination of tomatoes with olive oil was likely to provide greater health benefits, especially in the area of cardiovascular health.
Cooking
- When cooking tomatoes, avoid aluminum cookware since the high acid content of the tomatoes may interact with the metal in the cookware and pose health risk.
- Cooking tomatoes help to break down the plant cell wall, allowing us to better absorb the antioxidant lycopene from it.
- Whenever possible, try to use the whole tomato with skin to retain its lycopene and other antioxidants.
- Fat helps with absorption of lycopene, so add a little healthy fat like olive oil to your tomato dishes.
- For adding to gravy, you may grind the whole tomato in the mixer rather than grating it and discarding the skin, as skin is valuable.
Tomatoes are a nutrient-rich food no matter what. Stick to a balance of recipes that feature cooked and fresh tomatoes and you’ll be able to reap the benefits of lycopene as well as vitamin C.