Tomatoes are made out of water and vital biological substances. The tomato is a plant belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family, native to Central and South America, from Mexico to Peru. Because tomatoes are low in calories, they are considered an excellent and nutritional type of food for people that wish to follow a weight-loss plan. Having high vitamin C levels that help the body increase naturally its immune system, tomatoes have evolved to become one of the most loved vegetables used in meal preparation worldwide. In fact, the daily consumption of two tomatoes provides the human organism with 2/3 of the needed vitamin C. Moreover, since tomatoes have in abundance folic acid, which is considered necessary by experts in the reconstruction and recovery of human body cells, they are one of the healthier snacks a patient could eat.
Specifically, those that receive any kind of medication treatment, drink a lot of alcohol, or eat a lot of meat, and also pregnant women or the elderly, need to consume folic acid and thus it is considered essential to eat a lot of tomatoes. This "miracle plant" contains also vitamin E, which is helps fertility and assists in maintaining a balanced sex life. In addition, it is a great recourse of different vitamins from the vitamin B group, which help the human metabolism function smoothly and develops a strong neural system. It also contains selenium, which belongs to the chemical substances that prevent certain types of cancer, while it plays a very important role for the human immune system. The amount of potassium found in tomatoes protects the human heart and the magnesium it contains helps the organism overcome the symptoms of stress and muscular cramps. Tomatoes are also an excellent source of iron, copper and manganese.
Recent studies have concluded that the regular and adequate tomato consumption can actually reduce the risk of developing cancer by 40 percent. This plant's fruit mainly protects the human organism against prostate, lung and stomach type of cancers. In an study conducted in the United States, which included a sample of 14,000 Americans and over 3,000 Norwegians, scientists have discovered that smokers who eat tomatoes or carrots frequently (more than fourteen times a month) had lower chances of developing lung cancer in comparison to the people that did not select to eat these kind of vegetables. Moreover, nutrition experts support that people should eat both raw and cooked tomatoes.
Some ingredients found in the tomatoes become available only through heat and by adding olive oil. Thus, tomato-based sauces are an excellent resource of additional nutritional benefits. Thus, add tomatoes to your daily diet and increase the balance in your life while enjoying a tasteful and full of aroma vegetable.
Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Food, Nutrition, and Cooking