Featured today on Fiber Focus Friday is the tenacious tomato. The tomato is a food that kills it in the world of healthy foods. Its health benefits are plentiful, its recipes are numerous, and the taste will leave you breathless.
Let us discuss this mighty fruit in detail!
Fun Facts About Tomatoes
- Tomatoes increase in weight as they start to ripen. This continues even after they are harvested.
- Tomatoes are indeed a fruit. The confusion on this topic originally arose when the US supreme court named them a vegetable for taxation purposes! If you disagree with me that is fine, the battle of the tomato’s true nature is well beyond the scope of this article, and this blog altogether!
- See even more fun facts in the picture below:
Types of Tomatoes
Tomatoes come in any different sizes, shapes, and colors. Some of the most popular tomato varieties include:
- Super Sauce
- Grafted Brandywine
- Jaspee
- Celebrity
- Sugary
- Green Zebra
- Vernissage
- Casady’s Folly
- German Green
- Black Cherry
Another popular type of tomatoes (that is currently my favorite) is the cherry tomato. Cherry tomatoes are excellent additions to an egg scramble or omelette, salad, or any type of pasta.
There is virtually no limit to what you can do with tomatoes, unless you are crazy and think that tomatoes and chocolate will go well together… Yuck.
Where Do Tomatoes Come From?
Tomatoes were originally found in the Andes in the regions of Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador where they were found to grow wild. Some say that they were first brought to Europe by Columbus, but no one truly knows if this is indeed true or not.
The first tomatoes were actually cherry tomatoes and were called golden apples due to their color and size. Oddly enough they were considered to be poisonous!
Nowadays the most tomatoes are grown in China at a rate that is almost 3 times that of India, the second place tomato grower.
Growing Tomatoes
Growing your own tomatoes is relatively easy. They are able to be grown in quite a few regions, and are one of the most popular plants for home gardeners to grow. To learn more and to grow your own check out How To Grow A Tomato Plant from Wiki How.
I have never personally grown my own tomatoes as I currently don’t even have a backyard. However, tomatoes can even be grown inside! Believe it or not, window-sill tomatoes actually can work under the right conditions. I bet they taste just as good too, and you don’t even have to get down and dirty with your garden!
How Much Fiber in Tomatoes?
Tomatoes have a slightly low fiber total of 1.5 grams per 1 medium fruit. However, when you add them to a salad full of other High Fiber Foods your daily fiber totals are sure to skyrocket!
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Tomatoes have some amazing health benefits. Along with their fiber contents, antioxidants, and high vitamin counts (such as vitamin-C), tomatoes really pack a major punch against disease!
- Tomatoes can combat the formation of free radicals in the body, which has been shown to prevent some cancers.
- Tomatoes can fight inflammation, which is important for people of all ages.
- Tomatoes can prevent against damage from the sun, possibly because they are high in carotenoids and flavonoids.
- Blood pressure control due to the low sodium content in tomatoes.
- High lycopene contents promote optimal health across the board.
How Do I Eat a Tomatoes?
I love to eat Tomatoes fresh in a salad or cooked up in any type of meal. I also love to add tomatoes to crock pot chili, or virtually anything you might want to make in a crock pot. They can be the star of the meal, or excellent as a side item.
Honestly, I used to hate tomatoes. I thought they were one of the grossest foods out there. I only realized (relatively recently) that tomatoes were actually delicious, and that you could include them in just about any type of meal. I can’t say whether my tastes buds changed or my pickiness just faded, but I now count tomatoes as one of my favorite foods!
Other Awesome Tomato Recipes Include:
- Tomato White-Bean Soup
- Heirloom Tomato Pasta
- Heirloom Tomato Tart with Ricotta and Basil
- Best Fried Green Tomatoes
- Recipes for Canning Tomatoes: Stewed Tomatoes, Pizza Sauce, Spaghetti Sauce, Salsa
Final Thoughts on Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a great addition to your high fiber diet. They bring with them a plethora of health benefits, and there are so many different ways to make them that you are bound to find a way that you enjoy.
-Jordan
I have liked them since the “dawn of man”, lol. However, I had no idea that the state drink of Ohio is tomato juice – even after living here all my life!
I didnt know that either till I wrote! It is pretty awesome how you can learn new things every day! 🙂