Tomatoes are a deliciously healthy food that can reduce inflammation and maybe even your risk of stroke. So what are you waiting for?
Learn how to add this healthy food to your diet.
Picked fresh from the garden, tomatoes are bursting with flavor and delicious enough to eat like an apple. And you know how that whole "an apple a day" saying goes, right? Well, a tomato a day might be worth your while too, and here's why:
- One medium tomato provides you with more than a quarter of your vitamin C for a day, and it's also rich in vitamin E and beta-carotene.
- Tomatoes are an excellent natural source of potassium, with 556 milligrams in just one cup of tomato juice, which makes them a tasty way to replenish your electrolytes after a long run or ride.
- Tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxidant that reduces inflammation and might decrease your risk of stroke.
- Eating tomatoes can also lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, according to a 2011 study.
So don't sleep on tomatoes any longer—here are five ways to work these antioxidant powerhouses into your diet.
Make your own or buy local—fresh tomato sauce on pizza still packs a nutritional punch. For even more health benefits, use olive oil, which along with tomatoes is part of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet.
Ripe tomatoes are delicious enough to stand alone. Wash a handful of cherry tomatoes and keep them nearby for a quick snack, or sprinkle a full-size tomato with a touch of sea salt and eat it like it’s an apple.
Keep fresh tomatoes on hand so you can slice them and throw together a caprese salad as a snack. All you need is mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and olive oil. (Season it with a little salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar too, if you'd like.)
Move over ketchup, because salsa is a healthier option for livening up your grilled chicken or eggs. Buy fresh, or make your own. Dice the tomatoes and add some flavor and spice—onions, chili pepper, lime, cilantro, salt, and pepper are classic ingredients, but the possibilities are endless. Go crazy and get creative.
A Bloody Mary cocktail made with fresh tomato juice is loaded with the same antioxidant lycopene found in raw tomatoes, giving you an extra boost when added to the health benefits of moderate drinking. If you don’t drink alcohol, just go virgin and drink a glass of tomato juice with your breakfast a few times a week.
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Fit Food: The Benefits of Tomatoes