Tomatoes are a common ingredient found in several dishes. Some people eat fresh tomatoes while others prefer tomato juice. You can also buy semi dried tomatoes and rehydrate them when you want to include them in your dishes. Regardless of how you want to consume tomatoes, you need to understand the health benefits that you are getting.
Remove toxins from the body
Tomato is an excellent antioxidant agent. It has a large lycopene content which helps in removing radicals from the body that may cause cancer. Even with processed tomatoes like ketchup, you can still receive high amounts of lycopene.
Contains high amounts of vitamins and minerals
One tomato is already enough to give you 40% of the vitamin C you need for the day. You need this vitamin to enhance your immune system and help prevent the growth of cancer cells. Tomatoes also contain high amounts of potassium which keeps you from being bloated. Iron is also present in tomatoes which plays a vital role in blood circulation.
Heart protection
There are good and bad cholesterols in the body. The bad ones like LDL and triglycerides need to be at low levels. Therefore, you need tomatoes to ensure that you protect the heart. Increased bad cholesterol content in the body is the reason behind deposition of fats in your blood vessels that could lead to heart attacks.
Stop the effects of smoking
Tomatoes contain acid that fights nitrosamines. These are carcinogens present in cigarettes. When you eat more tomatoes, you protect your lungs from cancer. It doesn’t give you an excuse to keep smoking, but it relieves you if you used to be a chain smoker.
Help improve eyesight
Tomatoes also have Vitamin A, an essential vitamin for enhancing your vision. Some people suffer from night-blindness. With the help of this vitamin in tomatoes, along with other antioxidants, you protect your eyes.
Improve digestion
If you regularly suffer from constipation and diarrhoea, you need to eat more tomatoes. It is a fibrous food that aids in making the movement of the digestive muscles smooth. Therefore, you will have a regular bowel movement and overall digestive health.
Improve your skin
You can use tomato juice to help improve your skin. Some people use tomato juice directly on their skin when they suffer from sunburn. Tomatoes are also popular as anti-ageing products.
Prevent UTI
UTI or urinary tract infection prevents you from urinating correctly. When left untreated, UTI can even lead to bladder cancer. Due to the high levels of water content in tomatoes, you will stay hydrated. Your kidneys will also get regular cleansing. Unwanted salts, toxins and uric acid in the body will gradually go away.
Tomatoes can do a lot to make you healthy. Therefore, you need to consider eating more dishes that are tomato-based or buy tomato juices. Given their wonderful taste when mixed with other ingredients, you won’t mind having tomatoes as part of your regular diet.
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