This red spherical classified fruit is filled with many nutrients and important characteristics that may help us in prevention of many health conditions and also aid in better nutritious meals. Tomatoes are widely available year round, because of advances in agriculture. Generally most people consider it a vegetable because of its sour raw taste but once cooked or sautéed offers a sweet taste. Lets learn about some of the beneficial aspects of this wondrous Tomato. Fresh is always BEST! ~ Even though Organic foods have recently become popular and are a bit more expensive, sometimes this small investment can come a long way to us receiving all the essential benefits of food. So give it a try and be risky and try it raw like my two year old! Jiji;)
Health Benefits “Gains”= a plus to our journey to eating healthy
· Contain a strong Antioxidant- Lycopene: protect our cells
· Protective against many cancers such as: colon, prostate and breast
· Heart Health- due to also the effect of the caratenoid “Lycopene”
· Good Source of Vitamin C & Vitamin A- Antioxidants –scavenger against “free radicals”
· Good source of Fiber- important for regularity and also proven to help lower cholesterol
· Good source of Vitamin K- help bone health and prevention of hemorrhaging
· Low Glycemic Load- Good for Diabetics in controlling blood sugar
Ways to “Indulge” lets EAT!
· Add to salads
· Include in rice, beans and dinner dishes
· Add to meats/chicken
· Include in tuna salad or casseroles
· Make a tomato based soup
· "Pico de Gallo"- mexican dish, onion, lemon, cilantro, tomato and avocado
· Make a homemade tomato sauce base for a homemade pizza
· Make homemade tomato pasta sauce for spaghetti
· Eat Raw- like my two year old does! It’s Yummy!
· In "salsas" add tomato, lemon, a pinch of salt, and some hot peppers
Here are just a few beneficial aspects of “tomato”. Tomato’s most powerful antioxidant Lycopene is continuously being research for its strong protective attributes to many of our body functions. As mentioned before, Organic products have been shown to have higher content of this Lycopene and more readily available in our bodies. I hope this small insight of Tomatoes was intriguing and informative. Enjoy.
Eat Well.
Nutribug*-*
Resources:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=44
http://hubpages.com/hub/Health_Benefits_of_Tomato
http://food-facts.suite101.com/article.cfm/health-benefits-of-tomatoes
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