The Tomato is a native of South America and was later cultivated in different parts of the world. Botanically, a tomato is a fruit because it is the ovary, together with its seeds, of a flowering plant. However, the tomato is not as sweet as those foodstuffs usually called fruits and, and so from a culinary standpoint, it is typically served like vegetables as part of a salad or main course of a meal. Following are the health benefits of the tomato.
- Regular consumption of tomatoes improves skin texture and color.
- Tomato is a good blood purifier.
- Tomato helps in cases of congestion of the liver (protects the liver from cirrhosis) as well as for dissolving gallstones.
- Tomato is a natural antiseptic therefore it can help protect against infection.
- Consumption of tomatoes reduces risks related to the heart because the nicotinic acid in tomatoes can help to reduce blood cholesterol
- Vitamin K in tomatoes helps to prevent hemorrhages.
- Tomatoes are rich in lycopene (the red pigment in tomato), which is a powerful antioxidant that fights cancer cells.
- Tomatoes also flush out free radicals in the body and prevent your body from getting various diseases.
- Cancers such as prostate cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, and cancers of the stomach, mouth, pharynx, and esophagus have all been proven to be staved off by high levels of Lycopene in Tomatoes.