How many health benefits can a small fruit provide? Well in the case of tomato which the English also called the “Love apples” , numerous health benefits can be attributed to this particular fruit.
Starting with the basics:
• Tomatoes contain large amount of vitamin C, providing 40% of the daily value (DV)
• They contain 15% DV of vitamin A,
• 8% DV of potassium,
• 7% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of iron for women and 10% RDA for men
Research has also indicated that the lycopene in tomatoes can help older people stay active longer. When choosing your tomatoes, be sure to pick those with the most brilliant shade of red, they indicate the highest amounts of betacarotene and lycopene. Though raw tomamtoes are very good, cooking them releases even more of the benefits. Lycopene is located in the cell wall of the tomato, so by cooking it in a bit of oil, this healing compound is more fully released and this allows our body to absorb the lycopene better. Don’t worry about the availability of fresh tomatoes. Tomatoes don’t loose any of their nutritional value in the high heat processing, making canned tomatoes and tomato sauce just as viable and beneficial as fresh tomatoes.
