Tomatoes are red, luscious and lovely … and loaded with the antioxidant LYCOPENE. The redder the tomato, the more lycopene it has!  

It’s lycopene that gives tomatoes their bright red colour and helps protect them from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. In much the same way, they protect your own cells from damage. 

Tomatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals. They may help lower your levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol, as well as your blood pressure, boosting your heart health. Observational studies have found lower incidences of prostate, lung and colon cancers among those consuming tomatoes – but more research is needed in this area. Carotenoids in tomatoes may also guard against breast cancers in women.

(‘Tomatoes 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits’. From https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/tomatoes)

The lycopene in tomatoes is still effective when heated – so they’re just as nutritious even when cooked or processed. That’s good news for those who love cooking with them or in sauce (you can make your own ketchup at home without the added sugar!).

We mostly think of the tomato as a vegetable – but it is in fact an acid fruit. But when eaten raw without starches or sugars, it has an alkaline reaction. 

I prefer to have my tomatoes raw in a salad. Watch the video to see what I put in mine!