What are the benefits, effects and contraindications of tomatoes? What are the benefits of eating them raw?
Tomato is also called fanqie or yangshizi, and it is a common vegetable in daily life, with rich nutrition. It can be stir-fried or eaten raw, and it is both a vegetable and a fruit. So what are the benefits, effects and contraindications of tomatoes? What are the benefits of eating them raw?
1. Introduction to tomatoes
Tomatoes originated in Central America and South America, and are now widely cultivated around the world as an edible vegetable. They also have medicinal uses and are one of the model organisms among flowering plants in the Solanaceae family. There are many varieties of tomatoes. The fruit of most varieties is red, and some are also orange, yellow, green, purple, pink, white, and there are even tomatoes with colored stripes. They range from small cherry tomatoes to beefsteak tomatoes with a diameter of more than ten cm.
2. Benefits, effects and contraindications of tomatoes
1. Nutritional components of tomatoes
| Tomato nutritional components table (per 100 grams) |
| Calories (kcal) 19 |
| Protein (g) 0.9 |
| Fat (g) 0.2 |
| Carbohydrates (g) 4 |
| Dietary fiber (g) 0.5 |
| Vitamin A (mcg) 92 |
| Carotene (mcg) 550 |
| Vitamin B1 (mg) 0.03 |
| Vitamin B2 (mg) 0.03 |
| Niacin (mg) 0.6 |
| Vitamin B6 (mg) 0.06 |
| Folate (mcg) 5.6 |
| Vitamin C (mg) 19 |
| Vitamin E (mg) 0.57 |
| Vitamin K (mcg) 6 |
| Calcium (mg) 10 |
| Phosphorus (mg) 23 |
| Potassium (mg) 163 |
| Sodium (mg) 5 |
| Magnesium (mg) 9 |
| Iron (mg) 0.4 |
| Zinc (mg) 0.13 |
| Iodine (mcg) 2.5 |
| Selenium (mcg) 0.15 |
| Copper (mg) 0.06 |
| Manganese (mg) 0.08 |
2. Benefits and effects of tomatoes
(1) Benefit one: inhibiting bacteria
Tomatoes contain “tomato factor”, which has an antibacterial effect;
(2) Benefit two: aiding digestion
Tomatoes contain malic acid, citric acid and sugars, which help increase the acidity of gastric juice and can regulate gastrointestinal function;
(3) Benefit three: lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure and promoting urination
Tomatoes contain vitamin C, rutin, lycopene and fruit acids, which can lower blood cholesterol; secondly, they contain a large amount of potassium and alkaline minerals, which can effectively promote the excretion of sodium salts in the blood, have the effects of lowering blood pressure, promoting urination and reducing swelling, and have a good auxiliary therapeutic effect on hypertension and kidney disease.
(4) Benefit four: delaying aging
Tomatoes contain glutathione, which is anti-cancer and anti-aging, and can effectively remove toxic substances from the body, restore the normal function of body organs, and delay the speed of aging;
(5) Benefit five: preventing and fighting cancer
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