Tomato

Health Benefits

Lycopene as a compound, as seen today. It is established that lycopene, the pigment behind the red color, is a carotenoid for which antioxidant activity is reported. What a compound does in the laboratory and what eating the fruit does about a disease are two different statements.

What cooking changes. Human studies confirm that more lycopene is absorbed when tomatoes are cooked with oil than when eaten raw. That is why sauce and paste release more of it than the raw fruit.

The distance between supplement research and food. Most studies of blood markers used lycopene extracted into supplement form, a different condition from eating the food. Results obtained from capsules cannot be carried over to eating tomatoes.

What observational studies see. Observational studies have reported weak associations between diets high in tomatoes and various health markers. Association is not cause, and the finding may belong to the whole pattern of eating vegetables and fruit.

Nutrition

• Lycopene (the red pigment in the skin and flesh of ripe fruit) — a compound absorbed more readily when heated with oil
• Vitamin C and potassium (present in the ripe fruit) — vitamins and minerals found in the fruit

Lycopene The carotenoid pigment that makes tomato red, and a compound for which antioxidant activity is reported. Cooking loosens the cell walls so more is absorbed, and eating it with oil raises absorption further, which is why sauce and paste release more lycopene than raw fruit.

Beta-carotene & lutein Besides lycopene, carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein are present. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in the body, and lutein is confirmed to accumulate in the macula of the eye. That does not mean eating tomato prevents any particular eye disease.

Vitamin C, K, folate & potassium Vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and potassium are present together. For a fruit vegetable with this much water content, it carries a fair range of micronutrients at once.

Naringenin & chlorogenic acid The polyphenols naringenin and chlorogenic acid are contained in tomato. They belong to a different class of antioxidant compounds than the carotenoids.

Glutamic acid Glutamic acid, the core of tomato umami, is the more abundant the riper the tomato. It is the source of natural savoriness, so dishes containing tomato carry deep flavor without added flavor enhancers.

Tomatine Unripe green fruit and the leaves and stems carry the glycoalkaloid tomatine. It is a different compound from the solanine of potato, and it drops sharply as the fruit ripens red. Fully ripe fruit is eaten as it is, but green unripe fruit and the leaves and stems can cause digestive irritation and are not eaten.

Pairings

○ Olive Oil — Adding olive oil to tomatoes maximizes lycopene absorption. That is exactly why Mediterranean tomato pasta and Caprese are nutritionally ideal pairings; the combination is simple, but the benefit is clear.

○ Mozzarella and Basil — Caprese is the classic trio that showcases the synergy of tomato, mozzarella, and basil, balancing protein, fat, and antioxidants. The colors of the three ingredients come together for visual appeal and nutritional balance at once. Basil

○ Garlic and Onion — The foundation of any tomato sauce is its pairing with garlic and onion. It's a universal combination found across cuisines, from Italian ragu to salsa to Korean kimchi-jjigae (kimchi stew), with sulfur compounds and lycopene working together. Garlic · Onion

○ Eggs — Chinese-style tomato and egg stir-fry and Israeli shakshuka are signature dishes that pair tomatoes with eggs. The egg's protein and fat help with lycopene absorption while rounding out the flavor of the dish.

○ Beef and Pork — Adding meat to tomatoes brings together protein, lycopene, and umami. The synergy shows up best in long-simmered dishes such as ragu sauce or tomato stew.

○ Cooking — When tomatoes are cooked, their cell walls break down and lycopene absorption rises substantially. It's worth noting that sauce, paste, and soup forms are nutritionally more advantageous than a raw tomato salad.

△ Acid reflux (GERD) — People with acid reflux are better off limiting tomatoes—especially on an empty stomach or right before bed. Tomatoes' acidity can irritate the lining of the esophagus and make reflux symptoms worse.

△ Migraine sufferers — Some migraine sufferers react strongly to tyramine-containing foods like tomatoes, cheese, and chocolate. Knowing your personal trigger foods and avoiding them accordingly is the foundation of migraine management.

△ Green unripe fruit, leaves, and stems — Never eat green, unripe tomatoes or the plant's leaves and stems—they contain solanine and tomatine. Fully ripened fruit is safe, so the food-safety basics are simple: eat only tomatoes that have turned red and ripe.

Varieties

• Standard slicing tomato (ilban tomato) — large fruit, good for sauces and cooking
• Date tomato (daechu tomato) — date-shaped, firm and sweet
• Chal tomato — a Korean variety with a dense, chewy texture
• Cherry tomato — dozens per cluster; can even be grown on a balcony