Cherry Tomatoes

Doesn’t the look of the cute cherry looking tomatoes brings a smile to your face? They are definitely happy food for me, and the best part, they can be eaten either raw or cooked or both. Some say they are a fruit and some say they are vegetables but it doesn’t really matters to me as they are so delicious! They are the mainstay vegetables for many cultures around the world and they have a wide variety of uses, raw in salad and juice, in soups, in sauces, in dressings and in pizza and so many more!

Why tomatoes? They are beautifulJ, they are well spiked with potassium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A, some Vitamin E, folic acid and Bs and also contains a bit of Iron, Sodium, Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium and of course, lot's of Enzymes (provided if taken raw). They are low in calories (another good news to dieters) and are mostly liquid and carbohydrates.

Another thing about tomatoes is the phytochemicals that they contains. Lycopene is the main phytochemicals of the tomato and most health benifits of the tomatoes are attributed to lycopene. Lycopene may be helpful in protecting against cancer by activating what is known as "phase II enzymes", which protect against cancer and this powerful phytochemical are able to increase the production of these enzymes.

It is true that some of the nutrient will be more concentrated in tomatoes when cooked but all enzymes will be loss. My suggestions? Eat both lah! However, as tomatoes belong to the nightshade plant family, those with arthritis may wish to practice moderation when eating them.

See how tomatoes can be such a great add-ons to our daily food creations:

From left: Minced meat brown rice, Honey Roasted Chicken, My Salad Lunch Box, Simple Tuna Salad all nicely complimented with Raw Tomatoes.