Tomato is an annual herb native to South America that is cultivated as a vegetable. The fruits of this culture, called tomatoes, have not only a pleasant taste, but also many useful properties.
Tomatoes are rich in minerals and vitamins. They contain potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, tartaric, malic, citric acid, vitamins B, E, A, a high concentration of vitamin C and lycopene. Thanks to this composition, tomatoes are useful for maintaining normal heart function and for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, strengthen bones, promote the growth of skin and hair cells, are used for anemia, and have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.
Since fresh tomatoes have a high concentration of ballast substances, the fruits have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, fresh tomatoes, when consumed, can lower the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.
Tomato extract (i.e. tomato paste, tomato juice) has an effect on blood platelets, preventing them from clumping, which can be an excellent prevention of heart attack.
In addition, tomatoes have the highest concentration of lycopene. In recent studies, it has been found that, like phosphorus and calcium, it has an effect on bone health. In addition, it reduces the risk of cancer and prevents the development of osteoporosis.
At the same time, it will be pleasant to know that most of the beneficial properties of tomatoes do not disappear after heat treatment. This allows you to create a wide variety of dishes from this vegetable, enjoy its taste and at the same time improve your health due to its valuable properties.
Despite the list of useful qualities, tomatoes can cause harm under certain conditions. So, tomatoes should not be consumed if you have allergies, arthritis, gout, kidney and gallbladder problems, gastritis, stomach ulcers, as well as during an exacerbation of pancreatitis and heartburn. The reason for this lies in some acids, and especially in oxalic acid, which can disrupt water-salt metabolism and irritate the mucous membrane, which is vulnerable during inflammation.
