Introduction: Tomatoes are rich in carotene, lycopene, vitamins B, C and P. Lycopene protects the heart and blood vessels, it has anti-oxidant effect and prevents damage done to cellular membrane by free radicals. It can enhance the health of cells. Lycopene also effectively prevents prostate cancer in men. Tomatoes are good for the stomach and digestion. It quenches thirst, lowers blood pressure and removes heat and toxicity.
Note: Lycopene in heated or cooked tomatoes will be more easily absorbed by the human body. Therefore, you should not eat too many raw tomatoes before you have a full stomach. Otherwise, it will cause a rise in pressure in the stomach and lead to swollenness and pain. Tomatoes which are green in colour contains a lot of tomatine. If eaten raw, it will make people dizzy and vomit. Green tomatoes should not be eaten raw.
Purchase: Choose tomatoes which are large, round and full, with a shiny, smooth skin with no cracks or wrinkles and solid flesh.
Cooking methods: Boil in a soup, cook, stir-fry, bake, eat raw, make into sauce, use as a soup base or extract its juice.
Home dishes: Tomato, potato and lean pork soup; tomato and beef;
scrambled egg with tomato; baked and stuffed tomato; tomato sandwich with lettuce and cheese;
Pennette with Lamb Ragout; macaroni with tomato soup,
tomato and vegetable hot pot,
tomato, onion and port rib soup
