Everything You Need To Know About Tomatoes
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1. Background information and calories: The tomato is native to South America and comes from the herb Solanum lycopersicum: it is therefore, contrary to what we can think and the way we consume it, a ... fruit! The main varieties are the cherry tomato (cerasiforme) and the larger salad or plum tomato (esculentum), of which there are many sub-varieties.
While there are many sub-varieties of tomatoes which vary in weight, colour, shape, and appearance, they are mostly sweet, like other fruits: with approximately 2.6 g sugar per 100 g of tomato. The number of calories varies slightly according to the variety: 20 kcal per 100 g of cherry tomatoes, 19 kcal per 100 g of beefsteak tomato, 18 kcal per 100 g of round tomato, and 17 kcal per 100 g of tinned tomatoes. The calorific values are similar to other foods such as watercress, celery, and blueberries plus it's ten times lower than that of avocado or chestnuts.
2. Nutritional facts of tomatoes: Tomatoes may have a low calorie value but it's full of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. Tomatoes are a very nutritional and does not contain lipids and has only a few carbohydrates: 3.9 g per 100 g of round tomato.
In addition, tomatoes contain vitamins A and C (14 mg per 100 g) as well as potassium (240 mg per 100 g), calcium (10 mg per 100 g), magnesium (10 mg per 100 g), and iron. The nutritional value of tomato gives it many benefits, whether for weight loss or health.
In addition to being low in calories, carbohydrates, and fat, it is very rich in water and contains fibres that help digestion. It is also full of antioxidants that fight oxidative stress and premature aging, and lycopene, a fat soluble pigment particularly present in cooked tomatoes, which helps prevent cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
