Tomatoes

Tomatoes are technically a fruit, though are used as a vegetable as they are not sweet. They originated in South America and were brought back to Europe around 1500 AD. Selective breeding produces the plump, red, juicy tomatoes cultivated today.Tomatoes are considered to be a healthy component of the Mediterranean diet, and their particular health property is thought to be mainly due to the red carotenoid pigment Lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant and has been show to reduce the oxidation of cholesterol which leads to artery and heart disease . The full benefit of tomatoes is released by cooking and blending with oil, which allows the fat soluble Lycopene to be better absorbed.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are widely used as part of a healthy diet, and the ripe red fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. Tomatoes are considered to be an essential part of the healthy Mediterranean diet.

Nutritionally tomatoes contain a large amount of  Vitamin C , and also vitamins A and E, and potassium.

Lycopene is the red carotenoid pigment found in high concentrations in tomato skins. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant and has been show to reduce the oxidation of cholesterol which leads to artery and heart disease. Unfortunately Lycopeine is poorly absorbed from raw tomatoes because it is fat soluble and needs extra fat to help it to be absorbed into the body, and tomatoes contain very little fat. Adding olive oil or a similar oil as a dressing e.g. French Dressing helps the absorption. Cooking also releases this further as Lycopene is contained in the cell walls, which are broken down during coking. So products such as tomato ketchup, tomato puree and tomato paste are better sources of Lycopene than uncooked tomatoes, as is tomato juice. Tomato ketchup usually contains a lot of sugar, but tomato puree and paste can be used in general cooking as a good source of Lycopene in the diet as it is relatively heat stable. Lycopene is also available as a health supplement.

Ateronon (30 Capsules)

Ateronon contains 7mg of absorbable Lycopene to ensure you get the full antioxidant effect which can help prevent heart and cancer problems

Quantity:  More Info

Our Price: £35.75

Commercially grown tomatoes are picked while unripe and bred so that ripening continues until they are sold. Such tomatoes don't have the fragrance and flavour of home grown or locally grown produce ripened on the plant.

Green tomatoes are unripe and contain the poison Solanine and should be treated with caution, though there are many green tomato recipes which are regularly used. Solanine renders other parts of the tomato plant poisonous, such as the leaves.

Some people are sensitive to tomatoes, and they have been linked with making some medical conditions worse. Some complementary therapists suggest that arthritis, psoriasis and cystitis may be made worse by  eating tomatoes and other members of the nightshade family such as potatoes, aubergines and chili peppers and recommend avoiding them altogether. Some people may become allergic to tomatoes leading to anaphylactic shock.

Health Comments

Make tomatoes part of your  regualr diet using raw tomatoes, tomato ketchup,paste, puree or juice unless tomatoes cause you a problem. Use a Lycopene supplement as second best if you are not getting enough tomatoes regularly.