Here are tomato nutrition facts and health benefits. The health benefits of tomato mentioned in this article are based on studies.
Have you ever wondered if a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable? Botanists classify tomatoes as fruit because they develop from the ovary of flowering plants and contain seeds. However, because tomatoes are prepared and served as vegetables, they’re generally thought of as a vegetable from a culinary perspective.
Either way, tomatoes are a delicious and nutritious food that makes a good addition to most healthy eating plans. Tomatoes contain several nutrients and compounds important for health, such as vitamin C, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin K, among others.
1. Tomato nutrition facts
One small (2 2/5″ in diameter) tomato (91g) provides 16 calories, 0.8g of protein, 3.5g of carbohydrates, and 0.2g of fat. Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and vitamin K. The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA.
Calories: 16
Fat: 0.2g
Sodium: 5mg
Carbohydrates: 3.5g
Fiber: 1.1g
Sugars: 2.4g
Protein: 0.8g
Vitamin C: 12.5mg
Vitamin K: 7.2mcg
Carbs: A small tomato (91g) contains 3.5 grams of carbs. Of the carbohydrates, 2.4 grams are from naturally occurring sugars, and 1.1 grams come from fiber. Tomatoes are considered a low glycemic index food.
Fats: Like most fruits and vegetables, tomatoes contain very little fat.
Protein: There is just under 1 gram of protein in a small, fresh tomato.
Vitamins and Minerals: Tomatoes are a great source of potassium and vitamin C. Several beneficial forms of vitamin A are also present in tomatoes, including lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene.
Calories: One small tomato (91g) provides 16 calories, 73% of which come from carbs, 18% from protein, and 9% from fat.
Tomatoes are a low-calorie, low-fat hydrating fruit with a low glycemic index. Tomatoes are high in vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium.
2. Health benefits of tomato
Immune system
Lycopene is an antioxidant — it fights molecules called free radicals that can damage your cells and affect your immune system. Because of that, foods high in lycopene, like tomatoes, may make you less likely to have lung, stomach, or prostate cancer. Some research shows they might help prevent the disease in the pancreas, colon, throat, mouth, breast, and cervix as well.
Heart health
Lycopene also may help lower your levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, as well as your blood pressure. And that may lower your chances of heart disease. Other nutrients in tomatoes, like vitamins B and E and antioxidants called flavonoids, may boost your heart health, too.
Eyes health
Tomatoes have substances called lutein and zeaxanthin that may help protect your eyes from the blue light made by digital devices like smartphones and computers. They also may help keep your eyes from feeling tired and ease headaches from eyestrain. And some research shows they may even make you less likely to have a more serious form of the leading cause of blindness in the U.S.: age-related macular degeneration.
Lungs health
Some studies show that tomatoes may be helpful for people who have asthma and may help prevent emphysema, a condition that slowly damages the air sacs in your lungs. That may be because lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, among other antioxidants, fight the harmful substances in tobacco smoke, which is the leading cause of emphysema. Scientists are trying to learn more about those effects.
Blood Vessels
Getting more tomatoes into your diet may make you less likely to have a stroke, which is when blood flow gets cut off to a part of your brain. Studies suggest that they may ease inflammation, boost your immune system, lower your cholesterol levels, and keep your blood from clotting. All those things may help prevent strokes.
Oral health
Studies have shown that lycopene may help with the gum diseases gingivitis and periodontitis in the same way it may help prevent cancer — by fighting free radicals. But eating lots of raw tomatoes can damage the enamel on your teeth — thanks to the high amount of acid — and brushing soon afterward can make that worse. It’s a good idea to wait at least 30 minutes before you brush.
Skin health
You know hats and sunscreen can help shield you from the sun. Well, the lycopene in tomatoes may do something for that, too, possibly in the same way it protects tomatoes. It’s not a substitute for sunscreen, and you don’t put it on your skin. It helps, though, by working on your cells from the inside.
Weight loss
Whether in a soup, salad, or salsa, tomatoes are a refreshing way to load your diet with antioxidants while making every meal more filling. While these lycopene-rich bad boys are great on their own, drizzling them with olive oil and tossing them on the grill can lend them some extra heart-healthy benefits while transforming their flavor. Just don’t try to derive the same benefits from ketchup; the sweet sauce is more sugar than vegetable.
Good for diabetics
Have you ever wondered if a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable? Botanists classify tomatoes as fruit because they develop from the ovary of flowering plants and contain seeds. However, because tomatoes are prepared and served as vegetables, they’re generally thought of as a vegetable from a culinary perspective.
Either way, tomatoes are a delicious and nutritious food that makes a good addition to most healthy eating plans. Tomatoes contain several nutrients and compounds important for health, such as vitamin C, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin K, among others.
Reduce inflammation and slow aging
Tomatoes are rich in anti-inflammatory properties, so it may be a good idea to incorporate them into your diet where you can.
Tomatoes are high in lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce inflammation in your body. Lycopene is also believed to help protect against heart disease and certain cancers.
Source: Webmd/Verywellfit!