In the summer heat, do you know that there is a delicious and healthy artifact -- tomatoes? However, there are two kinds of tomatoes, but we must never eat them! No matter how beautiful and attractive tomatoes are, if they have these two qualities, then quickly stay away!
1. Are summer tomatoes better for cancer prevention?
You may have heard that certain substances in food have cancer-preventing effects. Tomatoes are no exception, and the lycopene contained in them is the most typical example.
If men can consume more than 6.5 mg of lycopene per day, they can significantly reduce the risk of prostate cancer. In addition, high intake of lycopene may also reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, oral cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and other cancers.
In addition to lycopene, there are other nutrients in tomatoes that may also help prevent cancer, such as:
1. Vitamin C: Tomatoes contain 14 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, which is much higher than the vitamin C content of apples and pears. We know that vitamin C helps prevent nitrates from being converted into carcinogens in the digestive tract to nitrosamines, and maintains the integrity of the cell matrix structure.
2. Carotene: Tomatoes are also rich in carotene, which belongs to a class of antioxidants. Epidemiological studies suggest that carotene may play a potential role in preventing oral cancer.
Still, we also need to understand that tomatoes are not a panacea. No single food can provide all the nutrients your body needs, so a mixed diet is a healthy choice.
You may wonder if all tomatoes can be eaten in large quantities if they are so good? There are two kinds of tomatoes that we have to be very careful.
2. Caution: Eat the following two kinds of tomatoes with caution
1. Unripe green tomatoes
Green tomatoes contain a harmful compound called solanine.
These substances have a strong gastrointestinal irritation and corrosive effect, and can cause central nervous system anesthesia and destroy red blood cells. If you consume too much, you will have symptoms of acute gastroenteritis such as dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and even death in severe cases. The toxic dose will be lower in children.
2. Tomatoes with dark spots
If the tomatoes you buy have dark spots or have rotted and spoiled, don't try to save money.
These black-spotted, rotten tomatoes are likely to be contaminated with a fungus called Alternaria that produces a toxin that causes cancer and other health risks, Alternaria alterin. The toxin is not only present in the dark spots, but also spreads from the rotten lesions to the undecayed parts. Therefore, digging out the dark spots and rotting areas alone will not completely remove the mycotoxins.
Tomatoes that are harmful to human health are identified here, and let's go on to understand what kind of people can't eat tomatoes indiscriminately.
3. Warning: These two types of people should not eat tomatoes indiscriminately
Despite the high nutritional value of tomatoes, they are not suitable for everyone.
It is important to note that the following two groups of people should try to eat as little or avoid tomatoes as possible:
1. Patients with acute gastroenteritis and acute bacillary dysentery
The gastrointestinal tract of patients with these diseases is in a very sensitive and fragile state, and the consumption of tomatoes may irritate the gastrointestinal tract and aggravate the condition.
2. Patients with hyperuricemia and gout
Even though tomatoes are not rich in purines, they are rich in glutamic acid, which may provide the body with the nitrogen atoms needed to synthesize purines, which in turn promotes the formation of uric acid. In addition, the phenolic acids in tomatoes can also inhibit the excretion of uric acid by the kidneys, causing uric acid to rise and inducing gout.
4. How to choose tomatoes rich in lycopene
If you want to get more lycopene from eating tomatoes, then you should pay attention to the following two points when buying tomatoes:
1. Buy tomatoes that are marketed in the summer: In the summer when there is plenty of sunlight and long hours of sunshine, the concentration of lycopene inside tomatoes increases.
2. Buy red tomatoes: Red tomatoes, which contain more lycopene, are more effective in preventing cancer.
Overall, tomatoes are a nutritious and wholesome vegetable. However, for different groups of people, it is also necessary to pay attention to the appropriate amount and method when consuming tomatoes. Similarly, unripe green tomatoes, as well as those with black spots, fall under the category of not being edible. I hope that everyone can protect their health and safety while tasting delicious food.
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