Tomatoes are a common vegetable and a fruit, its shape is round, the skin is smooth, the color is dark red, pink, yellow and other varieties, can be eaten raw or used in cooking.
Tomatoes are a nutritious and delicious food, rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, lycopene, etc.
Vitamin C has a good antioxidant effect, can promote the health of the immune system, lycopene is its main nutrient, has a strong antioxidant effect, can prevent cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Tomatoes can be eaten raw or cooked, raw can be added to salads, or directly sliced and dipped in seasoning, cooking methods are varied, such as boiling, stir-frying, roasting, frying, etc., can be combined with other vegetables, meat, etc., to make a variety of cuisine, such as tomato scrambled eggs, pasta, etc.
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Start by understanding the nutritional value of tomatoes
Vitamin C: Tomatoes contain a lot of vitamin C, which has antioxidant and immune promotion effects.
Carotenoids: Tomatoes also contain carotenoids such as β-carotene and canthaxanthin, which are essential nutrients for the human body and have the effect of maintaining vision and enhancing immunity.
Lycopene: Tomatoes are also rich in lycopene, a natural antioxidant that helps prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, and more.
Potassium: Tomatoes are rich in potassium, which helps support heart health, regulate blood pressure, and more.
Dietary fiber: Tomatoes are also rich in dietary fiber, which helps maintain intestinal health and promote digestion.
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What are the effects and functions of tomatoes?
Protects the cardiovascular system: Tomatoes contain a lot of lycopene, which helps prevent cardiovascular disease.
Antioxidant: Lycopene is a natural antioxidant that can reduce the damage caused by free radicals to the body and delay aging.
Lowers blood pressure: Tomatoes are rich in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.
Prevent cancer: Lycopene in tomatoes can prevent a variety of cancers, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, etc.
Promote digestion: Tomatoes are rich in dietary fiber, which helps promote digestion and prevent constipation.
Eyesight: The β-carotene and canthaxanthin in tomatoes can maintain vision and prevent eye diseases.
Enhance immunity: Tomatoes are rich in nutrients such as vitamin C, which helps to strengthen immunity and prevent colds.
It should be noted that some ingredients in tomatoes, such as solanine, will affect some physical constitution and health conditions, for example, people with diseases such as excessive stomach acid, gastritis, ulcers, esophageal reflux and other diseases should not eat too many tomatoes.
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Can't tomatoes be eaten casually? Doctor reminds: These 3 types of people, usually try to stay away
People with allergies: If you are allergic to tomatoes or have allergies similar to pollen, it is recommended to avoid eating tomatoes.
People with gastrointestinal discomfort: Tomatoes are an acidic food, if there are symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort such as excessive stomach acid and gastritis, you should eat less or avoid eating. In addition, if there is indigestion, diarrhea, etc. caused by tomatoes, attention should be paid to reducing intake.
People taking certain medications: Certain medications may interact with ingredients in tomatoes, such as affecting their efficacy or causing adverse reactions, if taking medications, consult your doctor or pharmacist before deciding whether to consume tomatoes.
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Note: 4 foods are best not to eat with tomatoes
Dairy: Some people are allergic to lactose or lactose intolerant, and eating it with acid-containing foods is easy to cause stomach upset, it is recommended to avoid dairy products before eating tomatoes.
Persimmon: Persimmons are rich in tannic acid, and the content of tannic acid is higher when it is not ripe, and eating with tomatoes is easy to cause stomach discomfort, it is recommended to try to avoid tomatoes and persimmons together.
Acidic fruits and vegetables: Since tomatoes themselves are an acidic food, eating them with acidic fruits and vegetables can easily cause stomach upset, such as lemons, oranges, strawberries, spinach, etc.
Beetroot: Beetroot contains oxalic acid, which can be consumed with tomatoes to reduce calcium absorption, leading to calcium loss.
If there is no allergic reaction or serious illness, tomatoes can be eaten with most foods, but for people with uncertain physical conditions, it is recommended to pay attention to the pairing before each consumption.