The benefits and harms of tomatoes for the human body
Hundreds of people eat fresh and processed tomatoes every day. You should find out why tomatoes are useful and why their presence is necessary in the diet. Since ancient times, the vegetable has been called the golden apple.
Tomatoes have antioxidant properties, can slow down the aging process, and are actively used to prevent a wide range of diseases. The medicinal properties of the product are due to the presence of vitamins, minerals, acids and other useful substances in it.
Beneficial features
The benefits of tomatoes are associated with their positive effect on the human body. When consumed in moderation, fresh and cooked, they have a therapeutic effect and allow you to cope with a number of diseases.
The beneficial properties of tomatoes are:
- improving digestion;
- anti-sclerotic and anti-rheumatic action;
- improving the work of the cardiovascular system;
- increased immunity;
- removal of edema;
- weight loss;
- prevention of anemia;
- prevention of thrombus formation;
- removal of toxins from the body;
- cancer prevention;
- reducing the inflammatory process;
- treatment of varicose veins;
- removal of salts and normalization of salt balance;
- relieving depression;
- prevention of diseases of the nervous system
- prevention of osteoporosis;
- prevention of vision problems.
The list of useful properties of tomatoes is very wide and varied. It was not for nothing that they used to be called golden apples. Due to its low calorie content, ripe fruits help people cope with excess weight. Tomatoes and tomato juice are one of the most common foods in diets.
The antioxidant properties of tomatoes help protect not only individual systems, but the entire body as a whole. With the correct use of fresh tomatoes, a general improvement in appearance and well-being is noted.
Features of the composition of tomatoes
Many people are interested in the question of how useful a tomato is. To answer this question, you need to find out what vitamins, macro and microelements are included in its composition.
For the human body, the high content of carbohydrates in tomatoes is of particular importance. They contain about 3.7 grams per 100 grams of the product.
In second place is the low calorie content of the product. 100 grams of pulp gives no more than 20 kcal. This makes the product ideal for dietetic food.
In third place are useful substances.
- Vitamins and minerals. Vitamins C, A, K, PP, B vitamins, folic acid are found in large quantities in tomatoes. In terms of vitamin C content, tomatoes can be compared to citrus fruits.Of minerals, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, iodine, and iron are especially distinguished.
- When ripe, tomatoes have a bright red color. The skin tone is due to the presence of anthocyanins. Their benefits for the body are in the fight against free radicals. That is why specialists pay special attention to ripe fruits. Thanks to anthocyanins, vascular stability increases, the cardiovascular system is strengthened, and immunity is increased.
- Lycopene. The presence of lycopene in tomatoes is responsible for its antioxidant effect. Thanks to this, the fruits have the property of slowing down the development of cancer cells.
The effect of tomatoes on the male and female body
The benefits and harms of tomatoes for the female and male body are different. If we talk about women, then, first of all, they mention the value of the product in dietary nutrition and cosmetology.
It is believed that the product normalizes metabolism. Thanks to the improvement of the gastrointestinal tract and the low calorie content of the vegetable, weight is reduced, and well-being improves. Tomatoes are recommended for pregnant women. Their benefits are associated with preventing the formation of constipation and improving bowel function.
The importance of the product in cosmetology is undeniable. The juice and pulp of the fruit are used for the preparation of masks, compresses and other cosmetic products. As a result of application, the condition of the skin improves, an increase in its elasticity is noted.
Tomatoes have a positive effect on the condition of the nail plates and hair. Regularly using tomatoes, the benefits become visible after 1-2 months.
The benefits of tomatoes for men are beneficial in the treatment of prostate adenoma and prostatitis. The peculiarities of the combination of useful vitamins, micro and macronutrients, allow tomatoes to minimize the risk of developing prostate cancer and a number of other male diseases.
The effect of tomatoes on the body in old age
Tomato is the healthiest vegetable in the diet of an elderly person. The beneficial effect is associated with a high content in tomatoes carotene, vitamin C, potassium and lycopene. At the same time, only ripe tomatoes collected from branches were considered the most useful. When harvesting an unripe crop, the content of vitamins in fruits is much lower.
The benefits of tomatoes on an elderly body are associated with the prevention of hypertension, arthrosis, diseases of the cardiovascular system, and improving blood composition.
At the same time, the elderly are advised to eat fresh vegetables, limiting their volume in case of urolithiasis, gout, and gastrointestinal diseases.
It is not recommended to give preference to salting in old age. This is due to the high salt content of the marinade and their negative effect on the liver.
Another beneficial property of tomatoes for the elderly is its diuretic effect. Timely withdrawal of urine, and the prevention of stagnation, have a positive effect on overall well-being.
Benefits of Processed Food
The beneficial properties of tomatoes are preserved even in processed form. Children, the elderly, or people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases or intestinal disorders are advised to eat boiled tomatoes or after light heat treatment. So they are better absorbed. Eating stewed tomatoes is good for the liver.
Tomato juice has proven itself well. It is rich in vitamins, calcium, manganese, iodine, iron, zinc and other minerals. The presence of pectin in large quantities helps to reduce cholesterol in the blood level, relieve inflammatory processes in the body.
The juice is recommended to be consumed at least half an hour before meals. If you need to lose weight, replace one of the meals with a drink.
The benefits of pickled tomatoes are not significantly different from fresh foods. The main thing is to follow the rules of preparation.The recipe should be completely free of vinegar. Salted and pickled tomatoes contain lycopene, which has antioxidant properties. Also, under the action of the marinade, more vitamins and minerals are not destroyed. This means that even in brine, the product retains its positive effect on the body.
Negative effects and possible contraindications
The harm and benefits of tomatoes are in the neighborhood. The harm of tomatoes has been scientifically proven when consumed without taking into account individual characteristics and existing diseases of internal organs. The negative facts about the vegetable have been known for a long time. Ancient people called it poisonous and forbidden to use it for food.
The harmful properties of tomatoes are associated with the content of glycoalkaloid, a complex organic substance. Its content is found in large quantities in unripe fruits.
If a large amount of it enters the human body, symptoms such as stomach pain, nervous system disorder, and headache may appear. Therefore, tomatoes are harmful to the human body only in an immature state.
If we talk more seriously about what ripe tomatoes are harmful, it is worth listing the list of diseases in which the fruits should be eaten with caution or completely excluded from the diet.
Contraindications include:
- the presence of stones in the gallbladder;
- kidney disease;
- joint diseases;
- gout;
- allergic reaction;
- ulcerative formations in the stomach;
- acute stage of pancreatitis;
- increased acidity of the stomach;
- arthritis;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- gastrointestinal disorders.
It should be noted that in case of increased stomach acidity and peptic ulcer diseases, it is not recommended to eat fresh tomatoes. But they can be consumed stewed. As a substitute, stewed tomatoes with sour cream are great. They reduce the negative effects of vegetables on the stomach.
Salted and canned tomatoes have a negative effect on the condition of patients with gastritis. In this case, the negative properties are salt, vinegar and a large amount of spices that are added to the marinade. When eating tomatoes or switching to a diet with their high content, you should familiarize yourself with the list of contraindications in advance or consult your doctor.
Whether tomatoes bring benefits or harm to health, everyone decides for himself. Experts unambiguously agree that patients who regularly consume vegetables in moderation and do not abuse salt and vinegar suffer less from age-related disorders and a number of other diseases.
