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The
tomato is the world's most popular
fruit. And yes, just like the brinjal
and the pumpkin, botanically speaking
it is a fruit, not a vegetable. More
than 60 million tons of tomatoes are
produced per year, 16 million tons
more than the second most popular
fruit, the banana. Apples are the
third most popular (36 million tons),
then oranges (34 million tons) and
watermelons (22 million tons).
Tomatoes
were first cultivated in 700 AD by
Aztecs and Incas. Explorers returning
from Mexico introduced the tomato
into Europe, where it was first mentioned
in 1556. The French called it "the
apple of love," the Germans "the apple
of paradise."
Tomatoes
are rich in vitamins A and C and fibre,
and are cholesterol free. An average
size tomato (148 gram, or 5 oz) boasts
only 35 calories. Furthermore, new
medical research suggests that the
consumption of lycopene - the stuff
that makes tomatoes red - may prevent
cancer. Lycopene is part of the family
of pigments called carotenoids, which
are natural compounds that create
the colours of fruits and vegetables.
For example, beta carotene is the
orange pigment in carrots. As with
essential amino acids, they are not
produced by the human body. Lycopene
us the most powerful antioxidant in
the carotenoid family and, with vitamins
C and E, protect us from the free
radicals that degrade many parts of
the body.
The
scientific term for the common tomato
is lycopersicon lycopersicum, which
mean "wolf peach." It is a cousin
of the eggplant, red pepper, ground
cherry, potato, and the highly toxic
belladonna, also known as the nightshade
or solanaccae. There are more than
10,000 varieties of tomatoes. Tomatoes
are used in many food product, including,
of course, tomato sauce (ketchup),
pasta and pizza. According to a Steel
Packing Council survey of 1997, 68%
of chefs use canned tomatoes for convenience,
quality and flavouring. It hasn't
changed much since.
Scientists
have found a substance in tomatoes
that can help prevent heart attacks
and strokes. It works by helping to
stop blood becoming sticky and forming
the clots that can cause potentially
fatal blockages in arteries and veins.
The lycopene which gives tomatoes
their red colour is known to protect
against various cancers. The anti-clotting
properties are found in the yellow
fluid surrounding the seeds. It was
found that the stickiness of platelets
- the particles in blood that cause
clotting - was reduced by 70 per cent
when 220 volunteers had a drink containing
the tomato extract.
Blood
platelets are vital for helping wounds
heal after an accident or surgery,
but if they become too sticky, then
they bind together, which can stop
the free flow of blood. The tomato
substance reduces the stickiness of
platelets so they flow smoothly through
blood vessels, reducing the risk of
a blockage occurring.
Up
to 50,000 people a year die as a result
of clots caused by a buildup of platelets.
Those
most at risk are people who have already
had a heart attack or stroke, smokers,
women on the Pill, long-distance air
travellers, the long-term sick and
pregnant women.
Research
has shown that the anti-clotting substance
in the drink has no detrimental effect
on the natural clotting process. Nor
does it cause the side-effects, such
as gastric problems, often associated
with blood-thinning drugs. |
