HTM26175 Tomato

Tomato Nutritional Composition (100 g raw tomato)
Basic nutrients
• Calories: 18 kcal – light and low in energy
• Water: 95% – excellent for hydration
• Protein: 0.9 g – building block for tissues
• Carbohydrates: 3.9 g – energy source, mainly glucose and fructose
• Sugars: 2.6 g – natural sweetness
• Fiber: 1.2 g – supports digestion
• Fat: 0.2 g – low-fat option

Vitamins and minerals
• Vitamin C: About 28% of daily recommendation – boosts immunity
• Vitamin A (beta-carotene): Good for vision and skin
• Vitamin K: Important for blood clotting
• Potassium: Helps regulate blood pressure
• Folate (Vitamin B9): Essential for cell division and during pregnancy

Special mention: Lycopene
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce inflammation and protect against cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer.
Effect of cooking on nutrients

Cooking does not destroy tomato nutrients – in fact, some become more potent.
What happens when tomatoes are cooked?
Lycopene increases
• Lycopene becomes more bioavailable when tomatoes are cooked.
• Tomato sauce, soup, or roasted tomatoes contain lycopene that’s easier for the body to absorb.
• Lycopene may help protect the heart and reduce cancer risk, especially prostate cancer.
Vitamin C decreases
• Vitamin C is sensitive to heat and decreases during cooking.
• Fresh tomatoes are a better source of vitamin C than cooked ones.
Other nutrients remain stable
• Fiber, potassium, and folate are well preserved.
• Cooking can also make tomatoes easier to digest and intensify their flavor

Best strategy: Combine fresh and cooked tomatoes
This way, you benefit from both vitamin C and enhanced lycopene absorption.

Some vegetables contain nutrients that cooking actually enhances.

Tomatoes have lycopene, which is absorbed more effectively when heated.

– Lycopene is fat-soluble. If you make tomato sauce and add some oil, lycopene is absorbed even better.

Lycopene is a carotenoid and an antioxidant.

Carotenoids are often behind the red, orange, or yellow color of plants. Many of them can act as antioxidants.

Antioxidants prevent oxidation, for example, the harmful effects of free radicals in the body.

Tomato lycopene is also better absorbed from tomato products, like crushed tomatoes.

In concentrated tomato products, there can be more lycopene per weight than in fresh tomatoes because some of the water has been removed.