“Laal laal tamaatar, bada mazedaar, ek din usko cheenti ne khaaya, haathi ko bhi maar bhagaaya!“
[Red tomatoes are very amazing,
one day an ant ate them,
and upon eating them, she could drive away the elephant too!]
My son learnt this in play school and was running around the house reciting this in his babyish language. This gave me an idea for this post on the ‘Benefits of Tomatoes’!
Tomatoes!
Yes!
Those ripe, round, red things that you eat or drink almost every day as salad, soup, vegetable, fruit, ketchup or even as a dessert (not joking)! You say tomato, and you find it in everything be it pastas, pizzas, burgers or curries.
You would be surprised to know that tomato which is largely believed to be a ‘vegetable’ is actually a fruit!
Almost all of us eat this ‘fruit’ daily in some form or the other without realizing its goodness. With its redness come numerous benefits that one can’t and shouldn’t overlook.
Here’s a list of 21 benefits of tomatoes and why they make your life better:
- Tomato is an excellent pain-buster because it is high in anti-inflammatory agents. It is especially useful in treating chronic pain.
- Eating tomatoes frequently reduces the risk of you getting Alzheimer’s in a later age.
- Tomatoes also help reduce the risk of obesity in individuals. These berry like fruits, increase the fat burning capacity of the body by more than 30%.
- Acting as natural flavor enhancers, these are an amazing option while cooking a variety of dishes from multiple cuisines.
- Tomatoes boost the immune system and thus are exceptionally nourishing for young children who need strong immune systems.
- Regular consumption of tomatoes can also lower the tendency of the platelet cells to clump together thus forming blood clots.
- Being a diuretic fruit, tomatoes help fight urinary tract infections by providing the adequate amount of water to the body.
- Tomatoes are high in Vitamin C and thus help to fight and stop the formation of cancer-causing radicals in the body.
- High fiber, choline, Vitamin B and potassium level in tomatoes help keep your kid’s heart healthy and prevent the possibility of strokes in adults.
- Tomatoes are an excellent food for the skin as they undo the effects of pollution, smoke and tanning on the skin.
- If your child is constipated, eating tomatoes will help you solve the problem as they are very high in water and fiber content.
- If you are pregnant, then eating tomatoes regularly will take care of your folic acid needs and prevent neural tube defects in your baby.
- Eating tomatoes can help you get out of depression as the folic acid in them helps produce feel-good hormones that make your mood, sleep and appetite better.
- Tomatoes are a good aging-delaying food as it contains lots of antioxidants and beta-carotene. Buh-bye fine lines and wrinkles!
- Tomatoes are high not just in Vitamin C or folic acid, but also in Vitamin K and calcium, helping you maintain good bone and tissue health, when consumed regularly. It’s particularly ideal for ladies who are at a risk of getting osteoporosis.
- If you have been smoking for long and are worried about undoing the damage caused to your body, then tomatoes are your best bet. The acids – coumaric and chlorogenic found in tomatoes protect your body from carcinogens (produced due to smoking).
- Tomatoes benefit your skin and aren’t partial with your hair either. They are great for your hair and teeth too.
- Kidney and gall stones can be avoided to a considerable extent if tomatoes are eaten without seeds, regularly.
- Vitamin A found in tomatoes is beneficial in maintaining good and healthy eyesight.
- Diabetics can bank on tomatoes for keeping their blood sugar levels under check, all thanks to the Chromium present in tomatoes.
- If you are on a diet, then tomatoes can be the perfect option, because they are fat-free, low in calories (just 32 calories in a cup i.e., 180 gm of sliced, raw tomatoes) and low in cholesterol too.
Tomatoes are the most nutritious when eaten fresh and raw. Try to incorporate them in your diet as frequently as you can as they are nothing short of a ‘complete food‘.