Tomatoes – Part 1 – Origins, Nutrition & Reasons to Grow

25th Mar 2024

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Origins

Tomatoes are originally from a South America, Central America and Mexico. They arrived in Europe in 16th century from the Spanish but people didn’t like them and they only became popular in the UK in the 18th Century.

Other Names for Tomato

Tomatoes were originally called Tomatl in Aztec times and then change over the centuries to Tomate, then as we know it today Tomato.

Italians called the Tomato – tomato pomodoro which means golden apple. Some say the first tomato was yellow and not red.

The French call the Tomato ‘Pomme d’amour’ which is Love Apple.

Tomato is the 2nd most popular Vegetable in the world

Tomatoes are grown worldwide and China eat the most tomatoes worldwide and then India, North Africa, the Middle East, the US, and Brazil also have high consumption rates.

The 1st most popular Vegetable in the world is a Potato.

Nutrition

Are Tomatoes a Superfood?

Yes, they contain an array of important nutrients for the heart, brain and body. Tomatoes contain antioxidants as they are rich in Vitamin C, contain beta-carotene (the orange colour in carrots and orange peppers) and lycopene (the red colour in red peppers and pink grapefruit).

Is it more nutritious to eat Tomatoes Raw or Cooked?

For Vitamin C content, it is better to eat Tomatoes raw in salads etc. After 2 minutes of cooking tomatoes, the Vitamin C content drops by 10%.

For Lypocene content which has antioxidant properties and can reduce the risk of some cancers, Tomatoes are better cooked and not eaten raw (not cooked).

According to the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, a scientist made the discovery that Lypocene is increased by 54% when tomatoes are cooked for 2 minutes.

Benefits of Eating Tomatoes

Great for gut health,
Contain Vitamin C, E, K and potassium,
They help strengthen your immune system – to help your body fight colds and viruses,
They improve heart health.
1 x Tomato contains 1.5g of fiber and is 22.5 calories.

Can everyone Eat Tomatoes?

Mostly everyone.

Solanine Intolerance

Some people may have an intolerance to Solanine which is produced from the tomato plant as it is part of the Nightshade Family. Other members of the Nightshade family are Potatoes, sweet peppers and aubergines.

People with a Solanine intolerance have problems digesting tomatoes.

Acidic Content

The acidic content of Tomatoes can cause problems in some people like acidic reflux and heartburn.

Lypocene Intolerance

Some people who suffer from Low blood pressure should not eat large quantities of tomatoes as the Lypocene can cause gas, bloating, digestive issues and stomach aches. If in doubt, consult a doctor.

5 Reasons to Grow Your Own Tomatoes

1. Taste – The tomatoes you grow taste so much better than the supermarkets.

2. Easy to Grow – Tomatoes are easy to grow and it’s also easy to sow seeds with children. Apart from compost, Tomato plants need 3 basic things: water, sun and a stake or cane for support.

3. Small Garden, Big garden or Balcony- grow them anywhere. There’s a Tomato for everyone’s growing needs.

4. Tomatoes keep going for a long time – when tomatoes start coming in mid summer, you will need a plan on how to eat, store or invite people round to eat them! Luckily we love a salad in summer.

5. So many different Tomato Varieties – There’s a Tomato for everyone! I’ll be breaking down the overwhelming number of tomato varieties in my next Part 3, to help you choose the variety for you and your vegetable garden.