Tomato nutrition

 

Every time you put some tomato ketchup on your burger, have a pizza with tomato toppings or bite into a ripe tomato picked from your garden, you’re actually doing your body some good! The red, round fruit the world knows as tomato is all packed with nutrition. Take a look.

Tomatoes are a good source of dietary fiber and are low in fat and calories. A medium sized ripe tomato weighing a hundred grams contains approximately 1.6 grams of glucose, about 1.2 grams fructose, 22 calories and only traces of fat. The same quantity also offers the consumer about 273 milligrams potassium, 0.6 grams iron and 72 grams of calcium.

Speaking of vitamins, the first that comes to mind is Vitamin C. A medium sized tomato contains about 23 milligrams of Vitamin C. It also contains around 766 International units of Vitamin A, 0.06 milligrams riboflavin, 0.07 milligrams thiamin and 0.8 grams niacin. Regular consumption of tomatoes and tomato products is known to be good for the skin and reduces the risk of osteoporosis and heart disorders.

Some modern cooking procedures are said to diminish the nutritional value of tomatoes. Well, I’d want to reserve my humble opinion until the experts have fought their way to a conclusion. In the meantime, let me share a curious point- Lycopene, a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes has been actually found to get more effective after tomatoes have been cooked! So while the science people rattle their brains, why don’t you settle down with a big, hot bowl of tomato soup!