Shirley L. Whitten
Regional Extension Agent
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
… MyPlate
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Tomato
(Lycopersicon esculentum)
Fruit or Vegetable?
Tomatoes are classed as a fruit but
used as a vegetable.
Fruit / Vegetable
 Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit.
 Fruit is the edible part of the plant that contains seeds.
 Vegetable is the edible part like stems, roots, and leaves.
 Tomatoes belong to the same family as nightshade.
 Herb or shrub like plant with berries
 So why are they used as a vegetable?
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Nutritional Value?
Taste?
Politics?
Difficult to change years of labeling?
Taxes?
Put some red in the vegetable section?
Why are they used as a vegetable?
 Tariff Act or 1883
 Requiring a 10% tax on imported vegetables
 Challenge
 Tomato is a fruit
 Supreme Court in 1893
 “in the common language of the people…all these vegetables
which are grown in kitchen gardens, and which, whether eaten
cooked or raw are, like potatoes, carrots, turnips,
beets…,usually served at dinner in, with, or after soup, fish or
meats which constitute the principal part of the repast, and not,
like fruits generally, as dessert.”
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 medium tomato (148g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 35
Total Fat 0.5 g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0g
Sodium 5mg
Potassium 360mg
Total Carbohydrate 7g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 4g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Calcium
Iron
Calories from Fat 0
% of Daily Value*
1%
0%
0%
0%
10%
2%
4%
20%
40%
2%
2%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Vitamins and Minerals
 Vitamin C
 Helps hold body cells together and strengthens walls of blood vessels
 Helps heal wounds
 Helps build bones and teeth
 Vitamin A
 Helps eyes adjust to dim light
 Helps keep skin healthy
 Helps keep lining of mouth, nose, throat, and digestive track resistant
to infection
 Potassium
 Helps control water balance
 Regulates nerve impulses, muscle contractions, and heart rhythm
Lycopene
The stuff that makes tomatoes red
The claim is that it may protect against some
Cancers
 Scientific evidence indicates it may protect against
prostate cancer
 More studies are still needed
What is a Super Food?
It contains a large amount of nutrients which
are linked with a reduced
risk for disease.
Super foods are rich in:
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Phytochemicals
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
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Super Foods
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Dark Green Vegetables
Berries
SUPER
Legumes
Orange Fruits and Vegetables
Whole Grains
Cold Water Fish
Tomatoes
Cultured Dairy Products
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
FOODS!
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Disease
• Eating “super foods” may
help prevent disease
• Eating “super foods” may
decrease risk of:
– Heart disease
– Cancer
– Diabetes
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
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Disease Fighters
• Phytochemicals may:
– Serve as antioxidants
– Enhance the body’s immune
response
– Make vitamin A from
beta-carotene
– Reduce inflammation in the body
– Kill cancer cells
– Protect DNA from being damaged
– Prevent urinary tract infections
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
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Phytochemicals
• “Phyto” from the Greek word meaning “plant”
• They give foods taste, aroma, color, and other
characteristics
• They are believed to promote good health
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
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Oxidation and Free Radicals
• Oxidation: a reaction involving oxygen
• Free radical: an unstable by-product of
oxidation
• Free radicals can damage:
– Cell walls
– Cell structures
– DNA within the cells
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
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Tomatoes
• Rich in vitamin C and carotenes including
lycopene and betacarotene
• May support prostate health (in men)
and a healthy immune system
• Cooked tomatoes =
better absorption
of carotenes
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
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Antioxidants
• Are present in foods as:
– Vitamins
– Minerals
– Phytochemicals
• Stabilize free radicals
which could otherwise
stress or damage cells
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
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Move Over Supplements
• Super foods are more effective
than any nutrition supplement
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
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Mix and Match Super Foods
• Super foods may work synergistically together
• Try these:
– Berry and yogurt
smoothie
– Whole-wheat pasta
with tomato sauce
– Grilled salmon
with mango salsa
– Oatmeal topped with blueberries
– Spinach salad with strawberries
©2007 Learning ZoneXpress
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… MyPlate
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At the Store
 Trust your senses.
 Look for fresh-looking tomatoes that are not
bruised, shriveled, moldy, or slimy.
 Buy only what you need that can be used within
a few days.
 Handle tomatoes gently at the store.
 Keep tomatoes on top in the cart.
Don’t Refrigerate Your Tomatoes!
 Most fresh tomatoes sold in supermarkets
are firm, not yet ripe.
 Select tomatoes at various degrees of
ripeness and keep them at room
temperature.
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Q: Is it true that adding fresh tomatoes slows the cooking of certain foods? I've
heard this before and wondered if it is a myth or not.
A: Some foods such as rice and potatoes take longer to cook when tomatoes
are added. It seems the acid from the tomato prevents the starch from these
foods from breaking down.
Q: What happens if I cook a tomato sauce in an iron pan? Do the vitamins of
the tomatoes absorb some of the iron?
A: Studies have shown that iron utensils such as cast-iron skillets and Dutch
ovens contribute significantly to the iron content in cooked foods. The
amount that leaches into the food varies depending on which food you
are cooking. If you are concerned with any health risks because of a
medical problem that limits the intake of iron, I would contact your
physician just to be safe.