8 Health Benefits of eating Tomatoes.

 Eight Health Benefits of Tomatoes.

The post introduces tomatoes, describes their nutrients and health benefits, and suggests the need to include this vegetable in your diet in all ways possible. 

Tomatoes are edible berries.  They are known to have originated in Western South America, Mexico, and Central America.  They are consumed in multiple ways: raw, dried, cooked, in dishes, side dishes, sauces, and salads.  Botanically classified as berries, it is considered a vegetable for nutritional and health matters.

Tomatoes love warm weather, and in South Africa, they are grown in summer, in your home garden and commercially.

Tomato nutrients.

Tomatoes contain multiple nutrients, and eating them may help you to avoid the risk of several health issues.

Nutrients in one hundred grams of raw tomatoes:

• Calories:  18.
• Carbs:  3,9 grams.
• Water:  95 %
• Protein:  0,9 grams.
• Carbs:  3, 9 %
• Sugar:  2,6 grams
• Fibre:  1,2 grams
• Fat:  0.2 grams.
• Also, vitamins and minerals: vitamin C, potassium, Vitamin K1, Folate (vitamin B 9)
• And plant elements: lycopene, beta carotene, naringenin, and chlorogenic acid.

Credit to Getty Images.

Health benefits.

1.  Help protect your cells from getting damaged.

Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene which gives them a bright colour that protects them from the sun's UV light radiation.  In the same way, eating it can help you from getting your cell damaged. 

2.  Help the immune system.

Lycopene is an antioxidant that may help fight free radicals that damage your cells and reduce your immune system.  So, eating tomatoes may help you lessen the cancer attacks like the stomach and prostate.

3.  Heart health. 

Lycopene also helps lower bad cholesterol, LDL, blood pressure levels and heart disease.  Nutrients like vitamins B and E, flavonoids, and antioxidants may boost heart health.

4.  Eye health.

Nutrients Lutein and zeaxanthin may help protect your eyes from the blue light from digital devices.  It may help your eyes from feeling tired.

5.  Helps lung health.

Studies have shown that tomatoes can help people suffering from asthma and help those suffering from emphysema, a condition that slowly damages the air sacs in the lungs.

6.  Help blood vessels.

Eating tomatoes can reduce the chances of having strokes.  Studies have shown that they may ease inflammation, boost the immune system, lower your cholesterol, and help your blood from clothing, all of which help prevent strokes.

7.  Oral health.

Studies have shown lycopene in tomatoes can help with gum diseases.

8.  Skin health.

Eating tomatoes can help protect your skin, just as sunscreen can help shield your skin. 

Conclusion.

The post introduces tomatoes, describes their nutrients and health benefits, and suggests the need to include this vegetable in your diet in all ways possible.   In what all ways do you eat these beautiful and nutrition-rich fruits.

This post is for the letter T in the series of my A2Z blog posts, lasting for the entire month and is part of the A2Z Blog chatter challenge. To read earlier posts, click on these letters   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S