New Delhi: Tomato in Indian food is used in most preparations, its benefits far surpassing its usage. A native to southern and central America, this fruit, which belongs to the nightshade family, is packed with nutritious values.
Tomatoes are healthful as well as tasty and versatile. They are especially lauded for their cardiovascular benefits. They are good sources of several vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, especially the carotenoid lycopene, which gives tomatoes their vibrant red color.
Here is the list of benefits you must know:
1. Good for the Skin and Hair
Given the rising levels of pollution, our skin and hair end up bearing a lot of brunt. Incorporating tomatoes in your regular diet actually helps to battle the wear and tear our skin goes through. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is also used for facial cleansers. And apart from eating them as salad, you can also peel the tomatoes, and use the skin as a mask on your face. It cleanses and refreshes your skin. And the Vitamin A in tomatoes protects your hair from external damages as well!
2. It’s Anti-Carcinogenic
The Lycopene in tomatoes is reported to control the growth of cancer cells, especially prostate, stomach, and colorectal cancer. If you cook tomatoes, the production of lycopene actually increases, so you can carry it as much as you like.
3. Repairs Damages from Smoking
Kiwi is known to help our system when we quit smoking. But the coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid in tomatoes help to protect the body from the adverse effects of cigarette smoke, and that includes passive smokers as well.
4. It Helps Your Heart
Now tomatoes might not help to heal a broken heart, but the Vitamin A, Vitamin B, and potassium in them help to decrease your cholesterol levels and blood. In the long run, it can prevent heart-related diseases. So start loading up on tomatoes today.
5. It Helps to Burn Fat
If you are on diet, now is the time to include tomatoes as part of your daily regime. Tomatoes encourage the production of the amino acid called Carnitine, which is reported to enhance the body’s fat-burning ability to at least 30 percent, if not more.
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