Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Searching for a great summer snack? Look no further than one of nature’s very own fast foods – the tomato. These vitamin-packed, little red juice balls are one of my favorite go-to snacks of the summer. Not only is this fruit tasty, but it’s loaded with health benefits! Check out the list below for just a few of the amazing benefits you are likely to gain by munching on nature’s love apple.

Promote Healthy Skin

Tomatoes make your skin look great. Beta-carotene (also found in carrots and sweet potatoes) helps protect skin against sun damage. Tomatoes’ lycopene also makes skin less sensitive to UV light damage, a leading cause of fine lines and wrinkles

Build Strong Bones

Tomatoes build strong bones.The vitamin K and calcium in tomatoes are both very good for strengthening and repairing bones. Lycopene also has been shown to improve bone mass, which is a great way to combat osteoporosis

Fight Cancer

Tomatoes are a natural cancer fighter. Lycopene (again!) can reduce the risk of several cancers, including prostate, cervical, mouth, pharynx, throat, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectal, prostate and ovarian cancer. Tomatoes’ antioxidants (vitamins A and C) fight the free radicals which can cause cell damage

Balance Blood Sugar

Tomatoes can keep your blood sugar in balance. Tomatoes are a very good source of chromium, which helps to regulate blood sugar.

Improve Vision

Tomatoes can improve your vision. The vitamin A that tomatoes provide can improve vision and help prevent night blindness. Recent research shows that consuming tomatoes may help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a serious and irreversible eye condition

Better Looking Hair

Tomatoes will even make your hair look better.The vitamin A found in tomatoes works to make hair strong and shiny. (Sorry, tomatoes cannot help much with thinning hair—but they will make the hair you have look better!)

Prevent Kidney Stones & Gallstones

Tomatoes can help prevent kidney stones and gallstones. Some studies suggest that kidney and gall stones are less likely to form in people who eat tomatoes without the seeds.

Reduce Chronic Pain

Chronic pain often involves chronic inflammation, so attacking the inflammation is a good way to fight the chronic pain. (Many commercial drugs that fight pain are actually anti-inflammatory drugs.)

Tomatoes can reduce chronic pain. If you are one of the millions of people who deal with mild to moderate chronic pain (such as from arthritis or back pain), tomatoes may be a pain-buster. Tomatoes are high in bioflavonoids and carotenoids, which are known anti-inflammatory agents.

Promote Weight Loss

Tomatoes can help you lose weight. If you are on a sensible diet and exercise plan, build lots of tomatoes into your everyday eating. They make a great snack and can be used to “bulk up” salads, casseroles, sandwiches and other meals. Because tomatoes contain lots of water and fiber, they are what Weight Watchers calls a “filling food,” one of those foods that fills you up fast without adding a lot of calories or fat.  (source: beliefnet)

If you are like me, after reading those benefits you are probably thinking of ways to add more tomatoes into your life! The next time you make a veggie sandwich, try adding a few slices of tomatoes into the mix. It is also very easy to sneak a few tomatoes into almost any soup recipe.

The small, Cherub Tomatoes from NatureSweet are make a great snack just by themselves. They are the perfect size for a fast, simple snack when you are on-the-go! When it comes to tomatoes, NatureSweet is one of my favorite brands – these tomatoes are greenhouse grown for one of the sweetest vine-ripened tastes. Mm, delicious!