Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTomato Nutrition FactsBenefits of TomatoesRaw vs. CookedTypes of TomatoesPesticides and Other Chemicals
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Tomato Nutrition Facts
Benefits of Tomatoes
Raw vs. Cooked
Types of Tomatoes
Pesticides and Other Chemicals
Cooked or raw, tomatoes have been a staple in American diets. Scientists have also discovered that they’re a “superfood,” the nonscientific term for a food containing many key nutrients and compounds.
Tomatoes containlycopeneandbeta-carotene, which may help improve your health in many ways. Research suggests they may protect againstcancer,Alzheimer’s disease,diabetes,heart attack, and more.
This article discusses tomato’s nutrition facts, health benefits, types, and more.
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Nutrition Facts for a Single Tomato
One medium, red, ripe, whole tomato contains an array of vitamins and nutrients, which makes it a great choice to add to a salad or sandwich or eat as a snack.
Tomatoes also contain about 116 g of water plus severalelectrolytenutrients, which can help keep you hydrated.
Benefits and Reasons to Eat Tomatoes
Tomatoes offer multiple health benefits due to their vitamins, minerals,antioxidants, and bioactive compounds.Bioactive compounds include lycopene,quercetin,resveratrol, and luteolin.
Cardiovascular Disease
Cancer
Research shows that regularly eating high-antioxidant fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes, prevents the growth of cancer cells.
Lycopene, an antioxidant in tomatoes, can help treat or lower the risk of several types of cancer, including:
Phytosterolsin tomatoes may also help prevent or treat colon, prostate, and breast cancers. Eating large amounts of tomatoes can protect against digestive system cancers.In one study, 60% of colon and rectal cancer patients improved after eating high amounts of tomatoes.
Neurodegenerative Disease
Diabetes
Components of the tomato, such as antioxidants, dietary fiber, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, are believed to help against diabetes, including:
Lycopene is believed to increaseinsulinlevels in your blood, which is a hormone that lowers blood sugar.It also reducesangiotensin converting enzyme(ACE) activity, which can indicate diabetes and complications of diabetes.
Quercetin helps regulate blood sugars, protects the liver, and reduces common diabetes symptoms such as joint pain, irritation, and numbness.Kaempferolimproves insulin signaling and reduces inflammatory lesions in liver cells.
Gestational Diabetes and Tomatoes
Eye Disease
Carrotshave long been associated with good eye health because of high levels of carotenoids.Tomatoes have high carotenoid levels as well. Research shows they can help prevent:
Raw vs. Cooked Tomatoes: What’s More Nutritious?
There’s no clear winner regarding whether raw or cooked tomatoes are better for you. Cooking them can alter which nutritional elements are available for your body to absorb and use.
Since there are many types and cooking methods for tomatoes, it’s hard to know if, for example, a Roma tomato offers more benefits when it’s eaten raw, steamed, or cooked down into a sauce. It’s good to eat them in a variety of ways.
Also, drink tomato juice. It has twice as many antioxidants as a raw or cooked tomato daily and may also help with inflammation. Tomato juice concentrate is rich in potassium (461 mg), which may protect your heart.
Common types of tomatoes are:
Before growing your tomatoes, research the varieties you like that suit your climate.
Why Are Tomatoes a Fruit?While it’s generally used in food like a vegetable, the tomato is botanically classified as a fruit because it contains seeds and grows from the plant’s flowers.
Why Are Tomatoes a Fruit?
While it’s generally used in food like a vegetable, the tomato is botanically classified as a fruit because it contains seeds and grows from the plant’s flowers.
Pesticides, Local Tomatoes, and Organic Seal
If you’re concerned about pesticides and other chemicals on your tomatoes, look for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic seal. That means the agency has certified that the produce was grown in soil with no prohibited substances applied for at least three years before harvesting.
Most synthetic fertilizers andpesticidesare on the prohibited list. Other synthetic products must be approved based on their effects on your health and the environment. Also, the organic seal means the food is not genetically modified.
Summary
Tomatoes are a good source of nutrients and compounds that benefit your health. Research suggests they can help prevent and/or treat many illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and eye diseases that can impair vision.
Buying certified organic tomatoes can assure you that they were grown and handled to minimize their exposure to harmful chemicals.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Tomatoes red, ripe, raw.Ali MY, Sina AA, Khandker SS, et al.Nutritional composition and bioactive compounds in tomatoes and their impact on human health and disease: A review.Foods. 2020;10(1):45. doi:10.3390/foods10010045Li N, Wu X, Zhuang W, et al.Tomato and lycopene and multiple health outcomes: Umbrella review.Food Chem. 2021;343:128396. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128396Park HA, Hayden MM, Bannerman S, Jansen J, Crowe-White KM.Anti-apoptotic effects of carotenoids in neurodegeneration.Molecules. 2020;25(15):3453. doi:10.3390/molecules25153453Ozmen O, Topsakal S, Haligur M, Aydogan A, Dincoglu D.Effects of caffeine and lycopene in experimentally induced diabetes mellitus.Pancreas. 2016;45(4):579-583. doi:10.1097/MPA.0000000000000489Yildiz M, Sandikci M.Changes in rat ovary with experimentally induced diabetes and the effects of lycopene on those changes.Rom J Morphol Embryol. 2016;57(2 Suppl):703-713.Chen S, Jiang H, Wu X, Fang J.Therapeutic effects of quercetin on inflammation, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.Mediators Inflamm. 2016;2016:9340637. doi:10.1155/2016/9340637Luo C, Yang H, Tang C, et al.Kaempferol alleviates insulin resistance via hepatic IKK/NF-κB signal in type 2 diabetic rats.Int Immunopharmacol. 2015;28(1):744-750. doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2015.07.018Roberts JE, Dennison J.The photobiology of lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye.J Ophthalmol. 2015;2015:687173. doi:10.1155/2015/687173Myvision.org.Beta carotene & your vision: Does it actually help?National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Age-related macular degeneration.Rowles JL 3rd, Ranard KM, Applegate CC, Jeon S, An R, Erdman JW Jr.Processed and raw tomato consumption and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2018;21(3):319-336. doi:10.1038/s41391-017-0005-xU.S. Department of Agriculture.Tomato juice, canned, without added salt.NutritionFacts.org.Tomatoes.American Diabetes Association.The many types of tomatoes.The European Food Information Council.Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable and why?U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).Labeling organic products.
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Tomatoes red, ripe, raw.Ali MY, Sina AA, Khandker SS, et al.Nutritional composition and bioactive compounds in tomatoes and their impact on human health and disease: A review.Foods. 2020;10(1):45. doi:10.3390/foods10010045Li N, Wu X, Zhuang W, et al.Tomato and lycopene and multiple health outcomes: Umbrella review.Food Chem. 2021;343:128396. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128396Park HA, Hayden MM, Bannerman S, Jansen J, Crowe-White KM.Anti-apoptotic effects of carotenoids in neurodegeneration.Molecules. 2020;25(15):3453. doi:10.3390/molecules25153453Ozmen O, Topsakal S, Haligur M, Aydogan A, Dincoglu D.Effects of caffeine and lycopene in experimentally induced diabetes mellitus.Pancreas. 2016;45(4):579-583. doi:10.1097/MPA.0000000000000489Yildiz M, Sandikci M.Changes in rat ovary with experimentally induced diabetes and the effects of lycopene on those changes.Rom J Morphol Embryol. 2016;57(2 Suppl):703-713.Chen S, Jiang H, Wu X, Fang J.Therapeutic effects of quercetin on inflammation, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.Mediators Inflamm. 2016;2016:9340637. doi:10.1155/2016/9340637Luo C, Yang H, Tang C, et al.Kaempferol alleviates insulin resistance via hepatic IKK/NF-κB signal in type 2 diabetic rats.Int Immunopharmacol. 2015;28(1):744-750. doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2015.07.018Roberts JE, Dennison J.The photobiology of lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye.J Ophthalmol. 2015;2015:687173. doi:10.1155/2015/687173Myvision.org.Beta carotene & your vision: Does it actually help?National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Age-related macular degeneration.Rowles JL 3rd, Ranard KM, Applegate CC, Jeon S, An R, Erdman JW Jr.Processed and raw tomato consumption and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2018;21(3):319-336. doi:10.1038/s41391-017-0005-xU.S. Department of Agriculture.Tomato juice, canned, without added salt.NutritionFacts.org.Tomatoes.American Diabetes Association.The many types of tomatoes.The European Food Information Council.Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable and why?U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).Labeling organic products.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Tomatoes red, ripe, raw.Ali MY, Sina AA, Khandker SS, et al.Nutritional composition and bioactive compounds in tomatoes and their impact on human health and disease: A review.Foods. 2020;10(1):45. doi:10.3390/foods10010045Li N, Wu X, Zhuang W, et al.Tomato and lycopene and multiple health outcomes: Umbrella review.Food Chem. 2021;343:128396. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128396Park HA, Hayden MM, Bannerman S, Jansen J, Crowe-White KM.Anti-apoptotic effects of carotenoids in neurodegeneration.Molecules. 2020;25(15):3453. doi:10.3390/molecules25153453Ozmen O, Topsakal S, Haligur M, Aydogan A, Dincoglu D.Effects of caffeine and lycopene in experimentally induced diabetes mellitus.Pancreas. 2016;45(4):579-583. doi:10.1097/MPA.0000000000000489Yildiz M, Sandikci M.Changes in rat ovary with experimentally induced diabetes and the effects of lycopene on those changes.Rom J Morphol Embryol. 2016;57(2 Suppl):703-713.Chen S, Jiang H, Wu X, Fang J.Therapeutic effects of quercetin on inflammation, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.Mediators Inflamm. 2016;2016:9340637. doi:10.1155/2016/9340637Luo C, Yang H, Tang C, et al.Kaempferol alleviates insulin resistance via hepatic IKK/NF-κB signal in type 2 diabetic rats.Int Immunopharmacol. 2015;28(1):744-750. doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2015.07.018Roberts JE, Dennison J.The photobiology of lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye.J Ophthalmol. 2015;2015:687173. doi:10.1155/2015/687173Myvision.org.Beta carotene & your vision: Does it actually help?National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Age-related macular degeneration.Rowles JL 3rd, Ranard KM, Applegate CC, Jeon S, An R, Erdman JW Jr.Processed and raw tomato consumption and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2018;21(3):319-336. doi:10.1038/s41391-017-0005-xU.S. Department of Agriculture.Tomato juice, canned, without added salt.NutritionFacts.org.Tomatoes.American Diabetes Association.The many types of tomatoes.The European Food Information Council.Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable and why?U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).Labeling organic products.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Tomatoes red, ripe, raw.
Ali MY, Sina AA, Khandker SS, et al.Nutritional composition and bioactive compounds in tomatoes and their impact on human health and disease: A review.Foods. 2020;10(1):45. doi:10.3390/foods10010045
Li N, Wu X, Zhuang W, et al.Tomato and lycopene and multiple health outcomes: Umbrella review.Food Chem. 2021;343:128396. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128396
Park HA, Hayden MM, Bannerman S, Jansen J, Crowe-White KM.Anti-apoptotic effects of carotenoids in neurodegeneration.Molecules. 2020;25(15):3453. doi:10.3390/molecules25153453
Ozmen O, Topsakal S, Haligur M, Aydogan A, Dincoglu D.Effects of caffeine and lycopene in experimentally induced diabetes mellitus.Pancreas. 2016;45(4):579-583. doi:10.1097/MPA.0000000000000489
Yildiz M, Sandikci M.Changes in rat ovary with experimentally induced diabetes and the effects of lycopene on those changes.Rom J Morphol Embryol. 2016;57(2 Suppl):703-713.
Chen S, Jiang H, Wu X, Fang J.Therapeutic effects of quercetin on inflammation, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.Mediators Inflamm. 2016;2016:9340637. doi:10.1155/2016/9340637
Luo C, Yang H, Tang C, et al.Kaempferol alleviates insulin resistance via hepatic IKK/NF-κB signal in type 2 diabetic rats.Int Immunopharmacol. 2015;28(1):744-750. doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2015.07.018
Roberts JE, Dennison J.The photobiology of lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye.J Ophthalmol. 2015;2015:687173. doi:10.1155/2015/687173
Myvision.org.Beta carotene & your vision: Does it actually help?
National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Age-related macular degeneration.
Rowles JL 3rd, Ranard KM, Applegate CC, Jeon S, An R, Erdman JW Jr.Processed and raw tomato consumption and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2018;21(3):319-336. doi:10.1038/s41391-017-0005-x
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Tomato juice, canned, without added salt.
NutritionFacts.org.Tomatoes.
American Diabetes Association.The many types of tomatoes.
The European Food Information Council.Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable and why?
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).Labeling organic products.
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