Discover tomato dasha in our infographic: What counts as five-a-day? Consuming foods rich in potassium is associated with lower rates of stroke and may be associated with lower rates of heart disease. Tomatoes also contain a compound called lycopene, which gives them their red colour, there is growing research into lycopene and its health properties including its potential for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Tomatoes contain a group of phytochemicals called carotenoids, these include lycopene, lutein and beta-carotene.

These compounds are important to maintain eye health and may protect against age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases. The carotenoids found in plants, including tomatoes, may help prevent UV damage in humans. A 2006 study found that after a 10-12 week study there was a decrease in sensitivity as a result of increasing dietary carotenoids. Read the NHS’s sun safety tips for more information.

Research suggests that processing and cooking tomatoes can increase their nutritional value, in particular, their antioxidant properties and our ability to access their lycopene compounds. Eating tomatoes along-with a source of fat such as an olive oil dressing helps us absorb these protective carotenoids. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin K which is necessary for blood clotting and wound healing. There is also increasing evidence that vitamin K may be of benefit in bone and cardiovascular health too. The NHS recommends 1 mcg of vitamin K per kg of body weight, most people should be able to achieve this by eating a varied and balanced diet. A 2015 study by the Nutrition Journal found that tomato juice intake appeared to help alleviate some menopausal symptoms such as anxiety, resting energy expenditure and heart rate.

This study was carried out on 95 women aged 40-60 years old who consumed 200ml of unsalted tomato juice, twice daily, for eight weeks. While this was a small trial, the results are encouraging and warrant further research. It’s widely thought that a compound in the nightshade family of fruits and vegetables, called solanine, may aggravate arthritic conditions and joint pain. However, to date, there is no research to support this supposition with evidence being anecdotal only. Allergy to tomatoes are rare but if you are allergic you are likely to react to other plants of the nightshade family including aubergine and potato.

If you are on certain medication, such as beta blockers for high blood pressure, you should follow the advice and guidance of your GP or healthcare practitioner. If you have concerns about a current health condition or you are on prescribed medication check with your GP or registered dietician before making any significant dietary changes. This article was last reviewed on 22 July 2021 by Kerry Torrens. Nicola Shubrook is a nutritional therapist and works with both private clients and the corporate sector. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local healthcare provider.

See our website terms and conditions for more information. This website is published by Immediate Media Company Limited under licence from BBC Studios Distribution. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The tomato is the edible berry of the plant Solanum lycopersicum, commonly known as the tomato plant. Its domestication and use as a cultivated food may have originated with the indigenous peoples of Mexico. Tomatoes are a significant source of umami flavor. They are consumed in diverse ways: raw or cooked, and in many dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks.

Numerous varieties of the tomato plant are widely grown in temperate climates across the world, with greenhouses allowing for the production of tomatoes throughout all seasons of the year. It’s all the same to me”. This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Tomato plants are dicots, and grow as a series of branching stems, with a terminal bud at the tip that does the actual growing. When the tip eventually stops growing, whether because of pruning or flowering, lateral buds take over and grow into other, fully functional, vines. Tomato vines are typically pubescent, meaning covered with fine short hairs.

The hairs facilitate the vining process, turning into roots wherever the plant is in contact with the ground and moisture, especially if the vine’s connection to its original root has been damaged or severed. Their flowers, appearing on the apical meristem, have the anthers fused along the edges, forming a column surrounding the pistil’s style. Flowers in domestic cultivars can be self-fertilizing. Although in culinary terms, tomato is regarded as a vegetable, its fruit is classified botanically as a berry. As a true fruit, it develops from the ovary of the plant after fertilization, its flesh comprising the pericarp walls.

For propagation, the seeds need to come from a mature fruit, and must be lightly fermented to remove the gelatinous outer coating and then dried before use. In 1768, Philip Miller moved it to its own genus, naming it Lycopersicon esculentum. Genetic evidence has now shown that Linnaeus was correct to put the tomato in the genus Solanum, making Solanum lycopersicum the correct name. Both names, however, will probably be found in the literature for some time.

An international consortium of researchers from 10 countries, began sequencing the tomato genome in 2004. A prerelease version of the genome was made available in December 2009. Since many other fruits, like strawberries, apples, melons, and bananas share the same characteristics and genes, researchers stated the published genome could help to improve food quality, food security and reduce costs of all of these fruits. The first commercially available genetically modified food was a tomato called Flavr Savr, which was engineered to have a longer shelf life. However, it is no longer commercially available.

This section does not cite any sources. The Tomato Genetic Resource Center, Germplasm Resources Information Network, AVRDC, and numerous seed banks around the world store seed representing genetic variations of value to modern agriculture. Tomatoes are considered a fruit or vegetable depending on context. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, tomatoes are a fruit labeled in grocery stores as a vegetable due to their taste and culinary purposes. Botanically, a tomato is a fruit—a berry, consisting of the ovary, together with its seeds, of a flowering plant. The confusion on whether tomatoes are fruits or vegetables has led to legal dispute in the United States. Page from the En Tibi Herbarium, 1558.