Are you one of the fans of tomatoes? If yes, you are one of the lucky ones. The reason is, this one fruit has a lot of abundant nutritional content and has a positive impact on health. What are the nutritional content and health benefits of tomatoes? Come on, see the following explanation!
Nutritional content in tomatoes
In 100 grams of tomatoes, you can find a variety of nutrients that are healthy for the body, such as the following:
1. Water: 93 grams
2. Energy: 24 calories
3. Protein: 2 grams
4. Fat: 0.7 grams
5. Carbohydrates: 3.3 grams
6. Fiber: 1.8 grams
7. Calcium: 5 milligrams (mg)
8. Phosphorus: 27 mg
9. Iron: 0.5 mg
10. Sodium: 10 mg
11. Potassium: 210 mg
12. Copper: 0.07 grams
13. Zinc: 0.2 mg
14. Beta-Carotene: 384 micrograms (mcg)
15. Total carotenes: 320 mcg
16. Thiamin ( Vitamin B1 ): 0.07 mg
17. Riboflavin ( Vitamin B2 ) 0.04 mg
18. Niacin: 0.7 mg
19. Vitamin C : 30 mg
Health benefits of tomatoes
By consuming tomatoes, you can get various health benefits such as the following:
1. Maintain heart health
A study in the European Journal of Public Health states that the content of lycopene and beta-carotene in the body can affect your risk of a heart attack. The lower the levels of lycopene and beta-carotene, the higher your risk of having a heart attack.
Therefore, consuming tomatoes that are rich in lycopene and beta-carotene can provide benefits to reduce the risk of experiencing one of these deadly heart diseases. Not only that, the content of lycopene is also efficacious to reduce levels of bad cholesterol which is a risk factor for heart disease.
In fact, the content of lycopene found in tomatoes also provides a protective effect on the inner lining of blood vessels, thus potentially reducing the risk of blood clots.
2. Prevent cancer
Apart from citrus fruits, it turns out that tomatoes are one of the best fruits as a source of vitamin C and antioxidants. The abundant nutritional content in tomatoes provides benefits in fighting the formation of cancer-causing free radicals.
Not only that, the content of beta-carotene in tomatoes also has the benefit of preventing the formation of tumors in patients with prostate cancer. This has been proven through research in 2016 in a journal entitled Molecular Cancer Research.
Not to mention the content of lycopene in tomatoes which turns out to have more benefits than just giving this fruit a red color. Lycopene is a type of polyphenol that can help prevent prostate cancer. Even so, experts still need to conduct further research to prove these benefits.
3. Coping with diabetes
One of the benefits that you can get from eating tomatoes is to help overcome diabetes. This was proven by a 2017 study that stated that type 1 diabetes patients who consumed fiber-rich foods experienced a decrease in blood sugar levels in the body.
Meanwhile, type 2 diabetes patients also experience a decrease in blood sugar levels to levels of fat in the body. Therefore, do not be surprised if tomatoes can help overcome diabetes because in a cup of tomatoes, there are 2 grams of fiber.
In fact, The American Diabetes Association recommends consuming 25 grams of fiber daily for women and 38 grams of fiber daily for men if you want to overcome diabetes.
4. Smooth digestion
If you are experiencing constipation or difficulty having bowel movements, eating tomatoes might help overcome these conditions. The reason is, the water and fiber content in tomatoes can help smooth bowel movements and so that bowel movements become smooth.
In addition, fiber can make the dirt found in the intestines pushed out, thereby helping to reduce constipation or constipation. No wonder tomatoes often get the nickname as a laxative fruit.
However, uniquely, tomatoes are also good for consumption to prevent diarrhea. Therefore, this fruit can provide benefits for digestive health, considering that this fruit can overcome the two main problems in the digestive system.
5. Maintain eye health
Beta-carotene, one of the nutrients in tomatoes, apparently not only has benefits for maintaining heart health. Yes, the nutritional content of this one can also help you maintain eye health.
Beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein are antioxidants that you can find in tomatoes and have the benefit of protecting the eyes from various eye damage, including the formation of cataracts to macular degeneration.
In fact, a 2014 study proved that people who consumed foods rich in the carotenoid lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants you can find in tomatoes, had a reduced risk of neovascular macular degeneration by up to 35 percent.
6. Maintain skin health
A 2011 study found that a combination of tomato paste and olive oil can protect your skin from sun damage. Not only that, this combination also encourages pro-collagen production.
As is well known, collagen is an important component in the growth of skin, hair, and nails. However, not only that, the content of vitamin C in tomatoes also has an important role in the formation of collagen in the body.
A body that is deficient in vitamin C will be very vulnerable to skin damage due to exposure to sunlight, pollution and smoke. If you leave it like that, the skin will wrinkle, sag, and dark spots, and various other skin health problems will appear faster.
7. Improving health during pregnancy
Did you know that tomatoes also have health benefits for pregnant women? The reason is, tomatoes contain folate which is good for pregnancy. The content of folate in tomatoes provides benefits to protect the fetus from neural tube defects.
In fact, doctors often advise pregnant women to take folic acid supplements to increase folate intake. However, it is better to get it naturally from fruits and vegetables, one of which is by eating tomatoes regularly.
Not only that, consuming tomatoes is apparently also good for maintaining uterine health for women who are planning a pregnancy program.