TOMATOES; FILLED WITH FLAVORS THAT ARE SUPERB
Think you know all about tomatoes? Read on and discover some fun facts…
Tomatoes isn’t a strange word to anyone, it is the world’s most popular eaten fruit because of the numerous health benefits associated with eating it.
Tomato is the fruit of the tomato plant. They originated in the South American Andes around the area of modern-day Peru and were first used as food by the Aztecs in Southern Mexico.
Tomatoes were first brought to Europe in the mid-1500s, the first tomatoes in Europe were originally yellow. The plant typically grows to 1-3 meters (3-10 ft.) in height and has a weak stem that often sprawls over the ground and vines over other plants. It is a perennial crop and weighs approximately 100 grams, 94.5% of the weight of a typical tomato is nothing but water.
Tomatoes are edible berries of the plant Solanum Lycopersicum commonly known as a tomato plant. Tomatoes increase in weight as they ripen, even after harvesting. They are the richest source of lycopene which is important for the health of the prostate in men. The scientific name of tomato is Lycopersicon Lycopersicum which is translated as “Wolf peach”.
Tomatoes are fruits, botanically they are considered as fruits (because they contain seeds) and not vegetables. Most people think that ripe tomatoes must be red but no there are ripe white, black, purple, pink, and yellow tomatoes. There are over 10,000 varieties of tomato.
Tomato is called “tomate” in French and Spanish, “tomaat” in Dutch, and “Pomodoro” in Italian. The leaves of tomatoes are poisonous which contain tropane alkaloids.
Benefits of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are also an excellent source of vitamin C, biotin, molybdenum, and vitamin K. They are also good sources of copper, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin A. They rapidly lose their vitamin C if sunlight can reach them while they are stored.
Tomato contains a substance called Lycopene, which gives them the bright red color and helps protect them from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Tomatoes contain Lutein and Beta-carotene which help to support the vision and protect against eye conditions. This includes cataracts and macular degeneration. They also help keep your eyes from feeling tired and ease headaches from eyestrain. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. It contains an essential mineral Potassium which is beneficial for blood pressure.
Tomato contains an antioxidant responsible for its red color research showing that lycopene affects the cardiovascular system in several ways. They help lower the oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue damage that diabetes trigger.
Tomatoes are good for the skin and hair. The coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid in them help to protect the body from the adverse effects of cigarette smoke.
Tomato helps boost your immunity. The vitamin C in it also controls the increase of stress hormones and helps your body to remain energized and healthy.
Facts about Tomato
According to the Guinness World Records, the tomato plant on record with the largest amount of tomatoes harvested produced a yield of 1,151.84 pounds of it. This world record was set on April 20th, 2006 by the Walt Disney World company in the United States of America. In 2010, worldwide tomatoes reached 145.7 million tons, China topped the production with 41.8 million tons. In cooler climates, they are usually grown in glass houses i.e. Greenhouse.
The state of Ohio has taken the love for tomatoes to a whole new level. They have labeled tomato juice as their “State Drink”. Apart from making tomato juice as the state drink Ohio has also declared tomato as the state fruit.
Asides from eating it you could peel the tomato and use the skin as a mask on your face. This helps clears the skin.
With all these wonderful facts and health benefits of tomatoes, tell me why you won’t love to eat it either cooked or raw.
Be a partaker of the goodness that tomato is filled with. You can also own or lease a tomato greenhouse farm. Kindly click on the link to get started https://suntwist.com.ng/own-or-lease-greenhouse/