FOODRUSTIC

TOMATOES...NUTRITION AT IT´S BEST!!

This beautifull fruit (yes, it´s a fruit!) has a lot of great phyto-chemical properties. Native of central America and cultivated at first by the Aztecs centuries ago before the Spanish explorers introduced them to all over the world.
There is a large variety of tomatoes...sizes,shapes, colors..some taste more acid and some more sweet .
It´s nutritional value is very high and complete and has little calories (18kcal/100g) so it´s commonly used in weight loss diets.
It´s an excellent source of antioxidants (Lycopene, Zeaxanthin and vit.C) dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. Due to their high content in antioxidants and their protective effect against free radicals they are well known to fight against cancer (colon, prostate, breast, uterus, lung and pancreatic cancer).

Specially red varieties are high in Lycopene, which is a flavonoid antioxidant only present in tomatoes. Together with carotenoids (also present in high quantities) they protect the cells against damage caused by the free radicals formed in the body and the ones from the environment.
Zeaxanthin is another flavonois antioxidant highly present in this fruit. It helps protect the eye from "age related macular disease" and therefor preventing early signs of blindness.
Vit.C, another antioxidant very abundant in this fruit protects the body against infectious diseases boosting the inmune system and against cell damage aswell.
Among other vitamins and minerals, tomatoes are high in Potassium, this mineral is an important compund of cell and body fluids and helps control the heart rate and blood pressure caused by sodium.
Make sure you add tomatoes to your healthy diet as it is for sure a very complete food to eat !!