Whether in a tomato-mozzarella salad or as a soup – tomatoes are an integral part of many people’s kitchens. But the popular vegetable not only impresses with its taste, but also has health-promoting properties. We give you 5 reasons why you should eat tomatoes.
Whether small cherry tomatoes or large salad tomatoes – tomatoes are regularly found on the menu of many people. And with good reason, because the popular vegetable can be processed in many ways in the kitchen. But that’s not all, because tomatoes also provide us with important nutrients such as vitamin C , potassium, calcium and folic acid. Due to the valuable ingredients, regular consumption of tomatoes can even have a health-promoting effect. But what exactly happens?
Table of Contents
5 reasons why you should eat tomatoes
1. Tomatoes help you lose weight
If you want to lose weight, you should change your diet and exercise – more calories should be burned than you eat. With a high water content and only 19 calories per 100 grams, tomatoes are an extremely low-calorie vegetable that are particularly well suited to a low-calorie diet. Thanks to the potassium it contains, your body is drained at the same time and toxins are removed. Grab tomatoes when you fancy a quick snack, or use them in a tasty salad for dinner.
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2. Tomatoes support our immune system
But not only that! On top of that, tomatoes contribute to a strong immune system and protect us from the development of diseases. This is largely due to the antioxidants it contains, including lycopene, for example, which is one of the carotenoids. Antioxidants fight free radicals, which fuel inflammation and can cause cell damage in the body. Incidentally, the largest proportion of the secondary plant substance is in the tomato skin. The vitamin C contained in the vegetables also has an antioxidant effect.
3. Tomatoes can protect the heart
In addition, regular consumption of tomatoes is said to have a positive effect on our cardiovascular system and prevent diseases such as high blood pressure and heart attacks. According to studies , low levels of lycopene and beta-carotene, both found in tomatoes, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, the lycopene is said to be able to lower the level of “bad” LDL cholesterol in the blood – an elevated cholesterol level is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.
4. Tomatoes stimulate digestion
Our intestinal health is the key to our well-being and, among other things, important for our immune system. Intestinal problems such as chronic constipation or a sluggish intestine can, in addition to abdominal pain, also promote anal fissures or hemorrhoids and, in the worst case, cause an intestinal blockage. In most cases, you can prevent or treat constipation by eating a diet rich in nutrients and fiber. The high-fiber tomatoes are particularly suitable for this – it is not for nothing that they are considered “intestine cleaners” in natural medicine.
5. Tomatoes protect the skin from the sun
In fact, regular consumption of tomatoes can even protect our skin from the sun. While that doesn’t mean you can’t go without sunscreen, research has shown that the carotenoid lycopene found in tomatoes can have a photoprotective effect . In addition to sun protection, which is particularly important to prevent skin cancer, tomatoes could also protect the skin from sunburn.
