Benefits Of Tomato

Tomatoes are often considered a vegetable, but in reality they are a citrus fruit . Tomatoes are a very versatile food . They are delicious eaten raw in salads or sandwiches, and take a wonderful sweetness during cooking . Their high acid content them an ideal food for canning done. Tomatoes are an important part of the American diet that is hard to believe they were once considered poisonous. It was not until the mid- 1800s they have become a staple in the United States

A set of average tomato contains about 22 calories , 0 g fat , 5 grams of carbohydrates , 1 g of dietary fiber , 1 gram of protein , and 6 milligrams of sodium . It also provides 40 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C , 20 percent of the RDA of vitamin A,  2 % of the RDA of iron, and 1 % of calcium. Here are some of the health benefits of tomatoes.

1 . Ward off cancer

Many studies have concluded that people eat more tomatoes lowest risk of certain cancers, including cancers of the lung , stomach and prostate . A substance called lycopene, cause for the red color of tomatoes, is believed to be the reason for this protective effect against cancer. Processed tomatoes contain even more lycopene than raw . The baking process decomposes cell walls , thus helping to release the lycopene . Eating tomatoes with a little fat, like olive oil , lycopene helps better absorbed by the body.

2 . Prevent DNA damage

The tomatoes are rich in important antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin A. These vitamins of working them against DNA damage free radicals. Consequently , the tomatoes may help prevent age-related diseases such as atherosclerosis and diabetes .

3 . Reduce the risk of heart disease

Tomatoes contain important nutrients , such as niacin , folic acid and vitamin B6 , which are associated with reduced risk of heart disease . One study found that women who ate 7 to 10 servings of tomato products per week had a 29 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than women who consumed less than one and a half servings of tomato products weekly . The results were even more impressive when women ate products oil-rich tomatoes.

4 . Protect against thrombosis

Another study showed that drinking 8 ounces of tomato juice daily reduced platelet aggregation significantly among study subjects . Those drinking a placebo showed no advantage. It is important to drink tomato juice low sodium if you are trying to protect against thrombosis ( blood clots in the blood vessels ) , sodium levels too high can cause negative effects for this type of disease.

5 . ward off inflammation

A double-blind study found that drinking a glass of tomato juice a day can reduce the levels of TNF- alpha blood of 34 percent. TNF - alpha causes inflammation . High levels were found in people with chronic diseases , most degenerative diseases such as heart disease , cancer , osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease.