Juicy, umami-rich tomatoes taste great fresh off the vine or slow-simmered in a savory sauce. Any way you enjoy them, tomatoes are healthy, low-sodium sources of vital vitamins and nutrients. They also may have a special ingredient that is good for your heart: lycopene. Juicy, umami-rich tomatoes taste great fresh off the vine or slow-simmered in a savory sauce. Any way you ... Continue Reading
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Often considered a vegetable and identified with Italian food, the tomato actually is a fruit in the citrus family. Botanically, it is known as Lycopersicon Esculentum. Native to the western coast of South America, tomatoes originated in the Andes region of Chile, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. Then the tomato plant was introduced to Europe when Spanish colonists returned from ... Continue Reading
6 Vegetables That Are Fruits
There are some fruits that people always mistake for vegetables because, well, they just seem more like vegetables. They're often more savory than sweet and are used the way vegetables would be used, say in salads or other vegetable dishes. Fruits always contain seeds and pits, which is what makes all of the foods listed below fruits rather than vegetables. Tomatoes Tomatoes ... Continue Reading
Tomato Extract for Healthier Arteries?
A compound found in tomatoes may help fend off vascular diseases, according to a laboratory study[1] recently published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. In tests on mice, scientists found that a substance called 9-oxo-octadecadienoic could combat dyslipidemia (a condition caused by abnormal buildup of cholesterol[2] and/or fat in the bloodstream). By stopping ... Continue Reading
What You Might Not Know About Tomatoes
Native to South America, tomatoes are the fruit of a nightshade plant. Their botanical name is Solanum lycopersicum. Two hundred years ago, we thought tomatoes were poisonous, but now they are the fourth most popular fruit or vegetable—losing out only to potatoes, onions, and lettuce in the popularity stakes. The majority of tomatoes are picked before they’re ripe so there’s ... Continue Reading