Whether you consider tomato as a fruit or vegetable, it has a lot of benefits that can make a person healthier and fit. It is usually regarded as a salad that you may or may not want to eat as compared to other vegetables. Tomatoes, because of their helpful phytochemicals, such as lycopene, help in preventing a number of cancers and convey other medical advantages as well. Hence, following are the benefits of a tomato:
- Prevents cancer: As a magnificent source of vitamin C and different cell reinforcements, tomatoes can battle the development of abnormal cells that causes cancer. Lycopene has been connected with prostate tumour prevention. Epidemiologists recommend the consumption of tomato as it helps lower the possibility of prostate cancer. High fibre content of beta-carotene in fruits and vegetables has been proven to bring down the risk of colorectal cancer to a great extent.
- Blood pressure: Low sodium consumption keeps circulatory strain solid. Tomatoes are rich in potassium that helps in the same.
- Heart’s well-being: The fibre, potassium, vitamin C and choline content in tomatoes all bolster the heart’s well-being. An expansion in potassium as well as a reduction in sodium is the most essential dietary change that an individual can make to lessen their danger of cardiovascular diseases. Tomatoes additionally contain folic corrosive, which keeps the homocysteine levels under control. It reduces the risk of heart diseases.
- Diabetes: Tomatoes help bring down the blood sugar level in people with type1 diabetes. Whereas, people with type 2 diabetes may have enhanced glucose, lipids and insulin levels. One measure of cherry tomatoes gives around 2 grams of fibre and helps them keep their levels neutralized.
- Constipation: Eating foods that are high in water substance and fibre like tomatoes can help with hydration and advance normal solid discharges. Fibre adds mass to stool and is important for bowel movement.
- Eye health: Tomatoes are a rich sources of lycopene, lutein and beta-carotene, which are intense cancer prevention agents. They have been helpful in protecting the eyes against harm related to the advancement of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
- Skin: Collagen, a fundamental part of the skin, hair, nails and connective tissue, is dependent on vitamin C. An inadequacy of vitamin C leads to certain skin problems. As vitamin C is a capable cancer prevention agent, a low intake can affect the skin and cause harm from UV rays, infections and smoke. This usually results in wrinkles, hanging skin, blemishes and other antagonistic skin diseases.
- Pregnancy: A good amount of folic acid needs to be present before and during pregnancy to ensure the infants good health inside the mother’s womb. This can be found in tomatoes.
An article by - Dr. Ishwar Chandra Rai, B.Sc., B.A.M.S., C.C.Y.P., M.D. (Ayurveda)
