Updated: 26-05-2025
Amazing and Surprising Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the widely grown fruits.
Whether eaten raw or cooked, tomatoes have many highly valued health benefits.
They are rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and lycopene, and other nutrients like beta-carotene and lutein.
How do antioxidants in tomatoes help in healing?
Lycopene is responsible for the red pigment in tomatoes.
A powerful antioxidant, it helps in preventing cancer.
“Antioxidants are nutrients that repair the damage caused when the body’s cells metabolise oxygen.”
When cells take in oxygen, the molecular bond breaks, producing byproducts called free radicals.
These free radicals try to stabilise themselves by immediately latching onto the nearest molecule.
It damages the healthy cells.
When there is an increased number of free radicals and a lower number of antioxidants, it can lead to cancer.
Introducing lycopene to the cells can prevent the growth of cancer cells.
In addition to its cancer-preventing properties, lycopene plays a major role in acting as your skin’s defence.
It can raise your skin’s SPF (sun protection factor) by acting as a natural internal sunblock.
Mineral Benefits of Tomatoes
Tomatoes also contain potassium, vitamin B6, and folate, all of which promote heart health.
Since lycopene is fat-soluble, a whole tomato might not be a good source of nutrition.
Instead, any food prepared based on tomatoes combined with some oil will give you all the health benefits.
Organic tomatoes have more nutrients than non-organic ones.
Vitamin A present in tomatoes provides healthy vision, bone growth, cell functions, reproduction, and a better immune system.
Vitamin C protects your cells from free radicals and is very critical for connective tissue, skin, and bones. Vitamin C absorbs iron and helps in the healing process.
Good Source of Fibre
Besides vitamins, another health benefit of tomatoes is that they are a good source of fibre.
Another health fact about tomatoes is that they can lower cholesterol levels, manage blood sugar levels, and prevent colon cancer.
Fibre helps in maintaining a healthy weight.
Foods that are rich in fibre take more time for chewing than other foods, giving your stomach a chance to recognise when it is full.
Also, fibre-rich foods help you feel full for a longer time.
[Also Read: Health Benefits of Carrot ]
Other Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Other health benefits of tomatoes include cleaning the liver, toning the stomach, purifying the bloodstream, and detoxifying the body.
In addition to this, tomatoes promote digestion and so are used to treat conditions like indigestion, loss of appetite, constipation, and anorexia.
It also helps in reducing the risk of stomach, lung, and prostate cancer.
The antioxidants reduce the harmful cholesterol concentration in the blood.
It minimises the blocks and lets the blood flow freely from the heart.
We are failing to teach our children the importance of eating fresh tomatoes every day.
Instead, we are allowing them to love ketchup or other tomato sauces rather than showing them the real value of the vegetable itself.
Make use of tomatoes in your daily meals.
Include it as a salad, as a chutney, in a curry or vegetable, or even in a pulao and enhance the nutritional value of the dish.
Moreover, tomato also adds a distinctive pungent flavour to the dish that children love to taste.
It is never too late to make the change.
It is not easy in today’s culture of eating everything instantaneously.
Instead, make small changes in your eating habits.
Stock up fresh tomatoes on your table and let your children enjoy this fruit every single day, and devour the health benefits of tomatoes.
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