The Miraculous Tomato

As recognition of the tomato’s health value, the Italians call it “pomo d’oro” – the golden apple, and the Germans “Paradiesapfel” – the apple of paradise. The tomato is so special because it contains a treasure: lycopene.

Lycopene is a red antioxidant found in almost all red fruits and vegetables. However, the largest quantity of lycopene is found in the tomatoes only. Lycopene is a substance with anti-tumor effects, especially in prostate, breast, urinary bladder, pancreas, cervical, ovarian, uterine, intestinal, lung and skin cancer. It is said that one tomato a day could keep us far away from cancer, if we would not smoke, drink alcohol, coffee, and we would not eat unhealthy cooked (fried, roasted, smoked) food.

Lycopene might bring hope in preventing neoplasia, degenerative diseases, and Alzheimer’s disease. It is the only antioxidant that grows in concentration through boiling. In other words, tomatoes are healthy fresh or cooked. Olive oil substantially amplifies the absorption of lycopene, so add olive oil to your tomato salad!

Besides lycopene, the tomato contains 90 percent water, and it is an important source of vitamin A, B1, B2, B5, B6, C, E and minerals. The tomato is very tasty and poor in calories (25/100g). The tomato is important in remineralization, revitalization, it is depurative, detoxifying, and it can be successfully used in weight control diets. The tomato also contains a substance with anti-inflammatory properties, similar to cortisol, but without its side effects.

The tomato has impressive therapeutic effects. By itself, lycopene does not have even half the anti-cancer effects of tomatoes. Eating tomatoes reduces the risk of prostate cancer with 40 percent. Also, eating fresh, organic tomatoes on a regular basis increases bones and joints resistance, supporting calcium absorption, inhibiting degenerative processes. Vitamins A and B-complex in the tomatoes, together with potassium, enzymes and organic acids, have a benefic effect on metabolism. Lycopene, vitamin B6, C and other substances contained in tomatoes help maintaining the blood vessels’ elasticity. By simply drinking tomato juice, flues and colds are cured faster, because the tomato juice has antibacterial effect, increasing the body’s resistance to microbial aggression. Half a kilogram of tomato eaten daily, especially before lunch, accelerates the metabolism of starches and fats, protects the organism against cholesterol increase and excessive use of the pancreas, and against overweight. If you are a smoker, get used to drink tomato juice on a daily basis, because it lessens the negative action of tar on the blood. A diet with one kilogram of tomatoes a day has joint anti-inflammatory effect, being therefore favorable to rheumatic people. This diet is also depurative, very good against gout.

Tomato leaves treat eczemas. Cut some tomato leaves in very small pieces and fry them without salt, for five minutes, mixing at all times. Filter and let it cool. Refrigerate it in a very well closed jar. Eat three well-ripe tomatoes every morning on an empty stomach, and then apply the above mentioned concoction on the affected areas. Insect bites heal faster and are less painful if you rub the place with crushed tomato leaves.

Fresh, cooked, or canned, the tomatoes do not loose their properties. They can be canned as a whole, paste, sauce, juice, or even dry. Lycopene does not get lost through canning or cooking. Once cooked, keep them refrigerated, for no longer than four days. When eaten fresh, take them out of the refrigerator one hour before. Do not add salt when you eat tomatoes! They are one of the three vegetables that contain salt, and therefore it is not necessary to add more salt.

Avoid pickled tomatoes; through fermentation, they generate histamine – the main proallergic substance. Through metabolism, histamine generates oncogenic derivatives. Do not eat the green stem of a tomato, because it contains a toxic substance: solanine.