Is the tomato a fruit?

Many wonder if The tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. What is clear is that the tomato is a vegetable but, although many believe that it is a vegetable, in reality It is a fruit. The essential characteristic of this fruit is that it has remarkable health properties that laboratories try to encapsulate them in pills.

The more you know the tomato, the more surprising it is. It is believed that 65 million years ago a meteorite crashed into the Yucatan Peninsula and generated a cloud that hid the sunlight. As a consequence, a climate change occurred that wiped out the dinosaurs and 75% of the species on the planet.

But he couldn’t handle the tomato, born somewhere between Chile and Mexico, due to its incredible genetic diversity, which allowed him to adapt to new conditions. According to the 300 scientists who in 2012 managed to complete the sequence of the tomato genome, it has 35,000 genes, 7,000 more than humans, a consequence of mutations that tripled its DNA several times.

This does not mean that it is a more complex being than man, but that as a species it has many resources to adapt to the environment.

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) left America with the Spanish, who took it to Europe and Asia. The word derives from the Aztec xitomatl: «fruit with a navel.»

Tomato properties

Tomato contains few calories. One hundred grams provides only 18, since most of its weight (95%) corresponds to water. Its bittersweet flavor is due to a small amount of simple sugars and some organic acids, such as citric and malic, responsible for making it appetizing and digestive.

Compared to other fruits and vegetables, it has little fiber (1.8%) but the seeds, pulp and skin are enough to promote intestinal transit.

1. Provides antioxidant vitamins

It stands out for its content in the trio of antioxidant vitamins C, E and A, the latter in the form of the precursor beta-carotene.

Take 200 grams of tomato covers 80% of the daily needs of vitamin C, 27% of vitamin A and 13% of vitamin E. The three vitamins prevent tissue degeneration, premature aging and collaborate with the immune system.

Highlight the content in vitamins of group B, higher than that of other vegetables, especially vitamins B1, B6 and especially folic acid (200 g covers 25% of the needs). These nutrients help obtain energy from food and benefit the nervous system.

2. It is rich in minerals

Tomato has a good variety of minerals. The most abundant are potassium (300 mg/100g), phosphorus (27 mg) and magnesium (20 mg). Iron is not negligible that contributes
(0.5 mg/100 g), so 200 grams cover 6% of the daily needs for adult women and 8% for men.

3. It has a lot of lycopene

One of the great virtues of tomatoes is their lycopene content. (about 3,000 mcg/100 g), the well-known carotenoid pigment with antioxidant effects that gives it its attractive red color.

Tomato calories and nutritional value (per 100 g)

• Calories: 18 calories (75 kJ)
• Carbohydrates: 3.9g
• Fats: 0.2g
• Proteins: 0.9g
• Vitamin A: 833 IU
• Vitamin C: 12.7mg
• Vitamin K: 7.9 mcg
• Folates: 15 mcg
• Potassium: 237mg
• Iron: 0.3mg
• Magnesium: 11.0mg

Health benefits of tomatoes

According to several studies, individuals who consume more lycopene acquire a extraordinary protection against cardiovascular diseases, They reduce the risk of suffering from diabetes, Alzheimer’s, blindness, deafness and other disorders associated with premature aging.

1. Protects bones

A study carried out in Canada has shown that lycopene contributes to good bone condition, especially in women after menopause.

2. Helps protect cells

It is attributed an important protective effect against cancer in relation to several organs, especially kidney, prostate, lung, intestine, stomach and lungs.

As an antioxidant, lycopene is more powerful than vitamin E and its effect is multiplied when accompanied by other carotenes such as phytoene, lutein and beta-carotene. The latter can be transformed into vitamin A when the body needs it to protect the skin, eyes or participate in the growth and regeneration of bones or in the formation of embryonic tissue.

Recent studies have shown that yellow and orange tomatoes contain less lycopene than red ones; However, it is in good shape tetra-cis-lycopene, which is more easily assimilated by the body.

3. Take care of your heart

The properties of lycopene have led scientists at the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom) to investigate the effectiveness of taking a 7 mg pill daily (equivalent to two and a half tomatoes) in the treatment of heart conditions.

The study has shown that the compound noticeably improves the flexibility of blood vessels and consequently prevents relapses in patients.

The research confirmed the results of previous studies, such as that of the University of the East (Finland), which had followed the evolution of a thousand men aged 46 to 65 for 12 years and had found that those with higher levels of lycopene in the blood had a 60% lower risk of suffering a heart attack.

Is tomato digestive?

In general, tomatoes are digestive and few people show adverse reactions. Only immature specimens can cause problems for sensitive stomachs.

But he has not always been seen favorably. The tomato plant belongs to the nightshade family and like its relatives – the eggplant, the potato or the pepper – it contains in the leaves and fruits small amounts of toxic alkaloids that tend to disappear with maturation.

One of these alkaloids, alpha-tomatine, may partly explain its anti-cancer properties.

Another precaution comes from macrobiotics, the energy diet developed by the Japanese George Ohsawa. According to this, the tomato, being a extremely yin food, It can cause some discomfort. However, in a healthy person, with a balanced diet, tomatoes are not associated with negative effects.

Better cooked than raw

The best sources of lycopene are cooked tomato-based products, because lycopene is absorbed three times more efficiently after the heat has broken the cell membranes and allowed it to escape.

That is why the most abundant sources of lycopene are purees, and especially sauces or concentrates, and even more so if they are made at home with ripe seasonal tomatoes and olive oil, which favors its absorption.

How many varieties of tomato are there?

More than 20,000 varieties with peculiar shapes, colors and aromas have been developed in the world. Most are red, but there are also yellow, orange, pink, purple, green or even multicolored and striped ones.

Heston Blumenthal, one of the most prestigious chefs in the world, and a tomato enthusiast, promoted research to find out which molecules were responsible for the great power that this fruit/vegetable has to provide flavor.

How to cook tomato

Scientists discovered that tomatoes contain high amounts of glutamic acid, an amino acid, especially in the seeds. These molecules are what make the tomato, along with the mushroom, spinach or cheese, one of the best messengers of umami flavor in Mediterranean cuisine; like kombu seaweed or tamari are for oriental cuisine.

Umami, called the fifth taste, offers a special taste experience, because it serves as a bridge between other flavors, and is capable of sensitizing the palate, making it more receptive. That may be another of the characteristics that make the tomato awaken the taste buds and allow it to infuse any dish with flavor.

Ways to use it in recipes

It goes well with eggplant, garlic, onion, olives or celery. The Italians, who make great use of tomatoes, have a recipe that combines these ingredients in a single dish. This is caponata, a Sicilian stew that can be eaten cold or warm, but always dressed with a good vinaigrette, to enhance the flavor of the tomato.

Without going any further, in Spain, salmorejo and gazpacho, Two cold soups, in which tomato is the protagonist, compete to refresh the summer.

Potatoes, cucumbers, peppers, radishes and avocados are some of the foods that make the best use of refreshing quality of tomato. These ingredients are good companions for this vegetable in summer salads, especially when seasoned with a splash of good olive oil.

In addition to eating it raw in cold soups, salads, spread on a slice of bread or in the form of juice, it can be cooked in many different ways: fried, steamed, stewed… But as it is a juicy food, roasting in the oven suits it especially well, because it concentrates its flavor better than any other method.

When preparing it in the oven, it is preferable to use varieties such as San Marzano or pear varieties, which are less acidic.

Enhance its flavor with aromatics

When it comes to seasoning, few foods are able to combine with such a wide variety of herbs and spices. In addition to oregano, savory, thyme or basil, tomato is especially delicious with some fresh coriander leaves.

Spicy flavors go well, and that is how it is usually prepared in the countries where it originates. That’s why pepper or paprika are ideal to accompany it, but also the lemony and spicy flavor of ginger, which can be used to give character to a tomato sauce or juice.

Another interesting combination is with cloves, a spice used in ketchup recipes.

How to easily peel tomatoes

The skin can leave a slightly bitter taste, so in some cases it is advisable to peel them before cooking. To remove the skin easily, first make a superficial cut at the base, in the shape of a cross, and then Blanch them in boiling water for 10 or 15 seconds. They are then drained, immersed in cold water and peeled with the help of a knife.

To reduce its acidity, sugar is usually used in most sauces where tomato is the protagonist, but it is much healthier and a better result is obtained if apple concentrate or apple concentrate is added instead. a little bit of cinnamon.

If you want to extract the seeds, it is preferable to do so once it has been cooked, with the help of a Chinese strainer, so that you can take advantage of the great flavor they contain.

Buying and preserving tomatoes

It is preferable to choose local varieties and specimens with smooth, unblemished skin. Those that have greenish or yellowish parts near the stem that do not correspond to their natural tone must be discarded, as this is a sign that they have been stored in poor conditions.

Tomatoes lose their aroma quickly when refrigerated, so it is best store them at room temperature and protected from light. If they have been bought or picked green and you want to speed up their ripening, they can be placed in a paper bag with a ripe apple.