One of the greatest assets to our lives is the undeniable gems of healthy food available at low prices. Tomatoes, for example, are unbelievably nutritious for a fraction of the cost of other foods.
Here’s a few facts for you:
- Tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K.
- Tomatoes actually come is a wide variety of flavors, sizes and costs – grape tomatoes, roma, beefsteak, big red tomatoes, sun gold hybrids, cherry and even delicious green tomatoes.
- The water content of tomatoes is around 95%. The other 5% consist mainly carbohydrates and fiber.
- One medium sized tomato (123 grams) contains only 22 calories.
- Carbohydrates make up 4% of raw tomatoes, which amounts to less than 5 grams of carbs for an average sized tomato (123 grams).
- Tomatoes are a good source of fiber, providing about 1.5 grams per average sized tomato. Most of the fibers (87%) in tomatoes are insoluble, in the form of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin.
- Regarding Vitamins and Minerals: Tomatoes are a good source of several vitamins and minerals.
- Vitamin C: An essential nutrient and antioxidant. One medium sized tomato can provide about 28% of the recommended daily intake.
- Potassium: An essential mineral, beneficial for blood pressure control and cardiovascular disease prevention (3).
- Vitamin K1: Also known as phylloquinone, vitamin K is important for blood coagulation and bone health (4, 5).
- Folate (B9): One of the B-vitamins, important for normal tissue growth and cell function (6). It is particularly important for pregnant women (7).
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