Tomatoes

Once considered toxic due to membership in the deadly nightshade family, they are in fact as healthful as they are versatile. They contain loads of vitamin C, as well as healthy amounts of vitamin A and iron. But the biggest health benefit derives from the red pigment in the skin called lycopene. This compound is a powerful antioxidant neutralizing free radicals that can cause cell damage leading to cancer.

Lycopene, in whole foods, has been found to cut the risk of developing numerous cancers, such as prostate, breast, stomach, endometrial, lung and colon. Wow, I’d say that’s a pretty good reason to get some into your diet. And the best part is, you just have to eat this delicious, red food in some form.

To achieve these health benefits you need to get 10-14 servings each week from sources such as fresh, ketchup, sauce, salsa, paste, juice or soup. Further research suggests even better results from a synergy of ingredients.

When combined with oil, such as in tomato paste or fresh tomatoes fried in olive oil, the healthy compounds become more bioavailable. There is also an additive effect when they are eaten with broccoli, another powerful cancer fighting food.

They also protect the cardiovascular system. Lycopene has the effect of reducing free radical oxidization in the LDL cholesterol thus reducing plaque formation. In addition, regular consumption of tomato products results in an overall reduction of LDL cholesterol (the bad kind).

There is also evidence that it's juice can reduce the tendency toward blood clotting which is implicated in some heart attacks and most strokes. As well they contain good amounts of potassium, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate, all of which work together to make this a very heart-healthy food. When choosing processed products, such as canned or paste, be sure to get no- or low-sodium-added products.

And if all that wasn’t enough, they are also a good source of vitamin K. It’s implicated in bone health as it activates osteocalcin, a protein in bone, and that in turn anchors calcium. So, vitamin K is an essential building block in good bone health and nearly 18% of the daily requirement is found in one cup.

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