What is the effect of tomatoes and does eating a lot of tomatoes have any effect?

What kind of fruit is a tomato?

The scientific name of tomato is Solanum lycopersicum, belonging to the Cacao family, is an extremely popular food today. Tomatoes, which are native to countries in South America, were first grown by the people of the Aztec civilization of present-day Mexico.

Later, the explorer Cortes brought tomatoes to Europe to plant, gradually it became extremely popular, used by many families in daily meals. In Vietnam, this fruit is also widely grown, we can find it anywhere.

Characteristics of tomato plants

Here are some salient features of tomatoes that you should know:

1. About the trunk

Tomato is a herbaceous plant, in the form of a vine, with an average height of about 1-3m. The trunk can be crawling on the ground or can be clinging to other trees around.

2. About leaves

The leaves of the tomato plant are compound leaves, green in color, the edges of the leaves are serrated, on the surface of the leaves appear hairy. The leaves grow opposite each other on the same branch, each branch will contain about 5-7 leaves.

3. About flowers

The flowers of tomato plants are usually yellow, in the form of self-pollinating hermaphrodites. Flowers grow in small bunches, have 5 petals, can bloom all year round if climate conditions are favorable.

4. About the fruit

Tomatoes are round, sometimes oval, yellow-green when young, and bright red when fully ripe. The fruit is succulent, with many small seeds inside. When eaten, it will have a characteristic sour taste.

What nutrients do tomatoes have?

How many calories are in tomatoes? Does eating tomatoes help with weight loss? Those are the things that many people wonder when using this food every day. In tomatoes, up to 95% is water, the rest is mainly carbs and fiber.

Each 100g will contain the following nutritional ingredients:

– Energy: 18 kcal

– Water: 95%

– Protein: 0.9g

– Carbs: 3.9g

– Sugar: 2.6g

– Fiber: 1.2g

– Fat: 0.2g

In addition, tomatoes also contain other nutrients that are extremely beneficial to health:

1. Vitamins and Minerals

Tomatoes are foods that contain many essential vitamins and minerals:

– Vitamin K: Helps strengthen bones, increases calcium absorption into bones, affects blood clotting in the body.

Vitamin C: Has the ability to provide energy for the body, fight against oxidation, and protect cells from damage.

– Vitamin B9: Also known as Folate, is an extremely important substance for the development of the fetus in the womb. Folate helps restore and develop cells, tissues, and body functions.

– Potassium: Occupying a large amount of minerals in tomatoes, it has the ability to help regulate and stabilize blood pressure in the body.

2. Other biologically active substances

In addition to high vitamin and mineral content, tomatoes also contain a number of biologically active substances that are extremely valuable and important for health:

– Beta carotene: Is a strong antioxidant, capable of converting into vitamin A in the body, helping to brighten eyes, prevent macular degeneration and eye diseases.

Lycopene: As a pigment that gives tomatoes their red color, Lycopene is an extremely effective anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent for the body.

Chlorogenic acid: An extremely powerful antioxidant, capable of stabilizing blood pressure, reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.

Naringenin: Appears much in the skin of tomatoes, has the ability to help reduce pain, effective anti-inflammatory.

What are the health benefits of tomatoes?

Thanks to the extremely valuable nutritional composition, tomatoes bring people great effects, which can be mentioned as:

1. Brighten eyes

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A as well as beta carotene. Thanks to that, our eyes are always healthy, bright and clear, preventing the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

2. Lower blood sugar

The low carb content plus high vitamin A and vitamin C will help reduce excess blood sugar. This helps to prevent possible diabetes and related complications.

3. Helps strengthen bones

Tomatoes are rich in vitamin K, which is an important factor contributing to ensuring that the body always absorbs calcium and accumulates calcium in the bones. As a result, the body does not get osteoporosis, the joint system becomes stronger.

4. Helps to lose weight

Tomatoes contain very little fat and carbs, and are rich in vitamins and fiber. Therefore, this is a food that can help you lose weight naturally without feeling hungry after eating. You can add tomatoes to vegetable dishes to help you not feel bored.

5. Cancer prevention

Tomatoes are rich in Lycopene, which is a high antioxidant that has the ability to reduce the formation of cancer cells as well as dangerous free radicals. As many scientific studies have shown, regular use of this fruit can help treat prostate cancer very effectively.

6. Good for heart health

A scientific study has shown that lycopene and beta carotene in tomatoes can help reduce bad LDL cholesterol from the body. From there, the heart will become healthier, preventing possible atherosclerosis.

7. Protect your skin

The high lycopene content in tomatoes will help protect your skin from harmful effects of the environment, especially limiting the effects of ultraviolet rays on the skin.

8. Helps you sleep better

Lycopene and vitamin C in tomatoes will help you sleep better, protect your sleep throughout and not wake up in the middle of the night.

Does eating a lot of tomatoes have any effect?

Although there are many useful uses for health, if you eat too much tomatoes, it can lead to some unwanted side effects, which can be mentioned as follows:

1. Causes digestive disorders

Tomatoes contain a certain amount of malic acid and citric acid. If you eat too much of this fruit, it can cause a lot of acid accumulation in the stomach, leading to digestive disorders, esophageal reflux, flatulence, diarrhea, …

2. Affects Kidneys and Bladder

Tomatoes contain calcium and oxalate content, so if you eat too much, it can increase the risk of oxalate stone formation in the body, leading to kidney stones, bladder stones, …

3. May cause allergies

Although this is very rare, for people with pollen allergies, there is still a chance of developing a tomato allergy if ingested. Besides, too high absorbed lycopene content will cause your skin color to change from normal to yellow-orange.

How many tomatoes should you eat each day?

Depending on the age, the amount of tomatoes absorbed into the body every day will be different, specifically as follows:

1. For adults

The maximum amount of tomatoes that an adult can eat every day should only be from 200-300g. This level corresponds to 3-4 fruits per day.

2. For young children

As for young children, the maximum amount of tomatoes that they should eat every day should only be from 50-100g. This level corresponds to 1-2 fruits per day.

Notes on using tomatoes daily

Tomatoes can be eaten raw without being processed. However, you should only eat fully ripe red fruits, avoid eating unripe green fruits.

– People who are suffering from stomach diseases such as stomach ulcers, colitis, … should not eat tomatoes lest they make the disease worse.

– Do not eat tomatoes when you are hungry. Because this fruit contains phenol and a gelatinous substance that can cause adhesions in the stomach, causing bloating and indigestion.

– Nutritionists still recommend that we eat cooked tomatoes instead of raw. Because then the nutrients in this fruit will become more easily absorbed by the body.