Tomatoes, also called tomatoes, are one of the most familiar vegetables. They are bright in color, sweet and sour, low in price, convenient to cook and rich in nutrition, which can be said to be loved by everyone. Tomatoes are rich in acid. Although the content of vitamin C is not high, under the protection of acid, the loss caused by cooking can be minimized. The loss of vitamin C after heating is only about 10%, which can be ignored. Tomatoes are also rich in nutrients such as vitamin B6, folic acid, potassium and dietary fiber, as well as active ingredients such as lycopene. Compared with fruit, tomato has less sugar and calories, and is a good-looking and attractive food.

Vitamin C, vitamin B6 and folic acid in tomatoes help to prevent coronary heart disease and stroke, promote wound healing and improve glucose metabolism. Dietary fiber can reduce fat absorption, increase satiety, delay the increase of blood sugar, promote defecation, help to lose weight, reduce postprandial blood sugar fluctuation and improve constipation. Potassium can promote the excretion of sodium salt and uric acid, and help stabilize blood pressure and blood uric acid.

Lycopene has antioxidant effect, can regulate blood lipid, reduce inflammatory reaction, reduce thrombosis, and help prevent cardiovascular diseases. Eating an oversized tomato (about 200 grams) every day can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. After tomatoes are cooked, the internal cell structure is destroyed, which can promote the absorption of lycopene. The utilization rate of lycopene is slightly lower than that of cooked tomatoes, but vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber can be completely preserved. Eating raw tomatoes instead of fruits will be of great help to control chronic diseases such as hypertension and gout.

Last but not least, raw tomatoes refer to ripe tomatoes, which are eaten directly without cooking, not immature green tomatoes. Green tomatoes cannot be eaten raw or cooked. This is because green tomatoes contain more solanine, which is a toxic component with strong toxicity. The dose of 0.2g can cause poisoning, and the mild symptoms are itching of mouth and throat, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dizziness. Solanine has strong thermal stability and can only be decomposed when heated to 285℃. Ordinary cooking methods have no inactivation effect on it, so remember that immature green tomatoes must not be eaten.