Tomato nutrition facts

Tomato, a nutritious fruit commonly used as a vegetable, is another wonderful gift of Mayans. The humble vegetable has grabbed the attention of millions of health seekers for its incredible phytochemical properties. Interestingly, it has more health-benefiting properties than that in an apple! Botanically, it belongs to Solanaceae or nightshade family of common vegetables, which also includes chili peppers, potato, eggplant, etc. Its scientific name is Lycopersicon esculentum. This exotic vegetable of all seasons is native to the Central America and was cultivated by the Aztecs centuries before the Spanish explorers introduced it to all over the world. Many hundreds of cultivar varieties with different type and size, either organic, hybrid or genetically modified are being in use. Most cultivars produce red fruit; however, a number of cultivars with yellow, orange, pink, purple, green, or white colors are also common scenes. Heirloom tomatoes are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among organic producers. Heirloom varieties tend to produce more natural and flavorful fruits. They are now grown worldwide as the front line vegetable in line with onions, chili, potato..etc. Cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) are small, round, cherry-sized fruits of the same Solanaceae family. The fruits are popular in Mediterranean regions.

Health benefits of Tomato

Tomatoes are one of the low-calorie vegetables containing just 18 calories per 100 g. They are also very low in any fat contents and have zero cholesterol levels. Nonetheless, they are excellent sources of antioxidants, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Because of their allround qualities, dieticians and nutritionists often recommend them to be included in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. The antioxidants present in tomatoes are scientifically found to be protective of cancers, including colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic tumors. Total -ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) in this vegetable is 367 mol TE/100 g. Lycopene, a flavonoid antioxidant, is the unique phytochemical present in the tomatoes. Red varieties are especially concentrated in this antioxidant. Together with carotenoids, it can protect cells and other structures in the body from harmful oxygen-free radicals. Studies have shown that lycopene prevents skin damage from ultra-violet (UV) rays and offers protection from skin cancer. Zea-xanthin is another flavonoid compound present abundantly in this vegetable. Zeaxanthin helps protect eyes from "age-related macular related macular disease" (ARMD) in the elderly persons by filtering harmful ultra-violet rays. The vegetable contains very good levels of vitamin A, and flavonoid anti-oxidants such as and -carotenes, xanthins and lutein. Altogether, these pigment compounds are found to have antioxidant properties and take part in vision, maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin, and bone health. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids is known to help protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. Additionally, they are also good source of antioxidant vitamin-C (provide 21% of recommended daily levels per 100 g); consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals. Fresh tomato is very rich in potassium. 100 g contain 237 mg of potassium and just 5 mg of sodium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure caused by sodium. Further, they contain moderate levels of vital B-complex vitamins such as folates, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin as well some essential minerals like iron, calcium, manganese and other trace elements.

See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients: Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), raw, Nutrition value per 100 g. (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base) Nutrient Value
18 Kcal

Principle

Percentage of RDA
1%

Energy

Carbohydrates

3.9 g

3%

Protein

0.9 g

1.6%

Total Fat

0.2 g

0.7%

Cholesterol

0 mg

0%

Dietary Fiber

1.2 g

3%

Vitamins
Folates 15 g 4%

Niacin

0.594 mg

4%

Pyridoxine

0.080 mg

6%

Thiamin

0.037 mg

3%

Vitamin A

833 IU

28%

Vitamin C

13 mg

21.5%

Vitamin E

0.54 mg

4%

Vitamin K

7.9 g

6.5%

Electrolytes
Sodium 5 mg >1%

Potassium

237 mg

5%

Minerals
Calcium 10 mg 1%

Iron

0.3 mg

4%

Magnesium

11 mg

3%

Manganese

0.15 mg

6.5%

Phosphorus

24 mg

3%

Zinc

0.17 mg

1.5%

Phyto-nutrients
Carotene- 449 g --

Carotene-

101 g

--

Lutein-zeaxanthin

123 g

--

Lycopene

2573 g

--

Selection and storage

Fresh ripe fruits feature beautiful bright-red color and have a rich fruity flavor. In the markets, buy fresh, firm, uniform sized fruits. Avoid those with wrinkle surface, discolored spots, cuts and too soft and mushy. Firm, yellow fruits can be placed in cool, dark place at room temperature for 2-3 days. However, ripe tomatoes are one of the easily perishable vegetables and should be stored in the refrigerator. Use them while they are fresh to obtain full benefits of vitamins and antioxidants.

Preparation and serving methods

Pests are common in tomatoes. Hybrid varieties are usually subjected to insecticide spray. Therefore, wash them thoroughly in the cold running water in order to remove dust, soil and any insecticide/fungicide residues. To prepare, discard stem and top calyx end and cut into desired halves, cubes, slices, etc. Peel the skin and puree its juicy pulp. Some prefer to de-seed the fruit before adding in cooking.

They are used extensively in cooking especially in Mediterranean, Greek, Italian, Southeast Asian, and East European cuisine. Raw ones have extra acidic taste, but when mixed with other ingredients while cooking gives wonderful flavor and rich taste. Regular as well as cherry tomatoes are one of the popular items in salad preparations. Fresh tomato juices as well as its soups are increasingly becoming popular health-drinks all across the world. Organic varieties contain three times the more lycopene than non-organic. Unripe green tomatoes are used in many similar ways like other raw vegetables to prepare in curries, stews and to make "chutney" in some of the Indian subcontinent states.

Safety profile
Allergic reactions to tomatoes may sometimes occur with symptoms like skin and itching eyes, runny nose, gastrointestinal disturbances like pain abdomen, vomiting and diarrhea.