10 Amazing Benefits We Reap from Tomatoes

Tomatoes are sweet, tasty, and extremely versatile in the kitchen, and to an extent, this already makes them attractive enough. However, there are many other reasons why you should consume them more often. As many of you may know, these red fruits are packed with vitamin C, are low in calories, and fat-free - but that's not all! Here are 10 even better things tomatoes do for your health:

1. They're full of everything you need for good health

One serving of red, ripe, raw tomatoes is packed with rich sources of Vitamins A, C, K, folate and potassium. Their amount of sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories are very low. They are loaded with thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper, which are all essential for our health. In a single serving, tomatoes can provide you with 2 grams of fiber, which is 7% of the daily recommended amount.

2. Promote skin health

Like carrots and sweet potatoes, tomatoes contain beta-carotene, which contributes to our skin's protection against the sun and its damage. They also contain lysopene, which helps to reduce our skin's sensitivity to UV light - one of the main contributor to fine lines and wrinkles on our skin.

3. Strengthen the bones

 With their rich vitamin K and calcium content, tomatoes provide the boost you need for your bones' health, as these minerals help to strengthen and repair bones. Lycopene (red pigment), found in tomatoes, as well as carrots and watermelons, is said to greatly improve bone mass, and serves as an excellent natural way to fight osteoporosis.

4. Fight cancer

Tomatoes are natural cancer-fighting agents, and probably one of the most delicious ones you could ever eat. Their concentration of lycopene (again) helps to reduce the risk of various cancers, including prostate, mouth, throat, pharynx, cervical, stomach, esophagus, rectal, colon, and ovarian. This is due to their antioxidant (vitamins A and C) content, which helps fight the free radicals that cause cell damage.

5. Balance blood sugar

If you thought eating sweet foods won't help your sugar levels, you haven't heard of this benefit yet. Because of their great source of chromium, tomatoes are outstanding blood sugar regulators. So if you're willing to balance the sugar level in your blood, don't forget to add more of them to your diet (read more on how you can do this below).

6. Improve vision

You can also reap terrific benefits for your eyes and vision by including more red goodness in your dishes. One of the nutrients found in tomatoes, vitamin A, is known to bring great improvements in vision and night blindness. According to recent studies, tomatoes have also been found to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, which is a serious and irreversible eye condition.

7. Boost hair health

Apart from being beneficial for the eyes, the vitamin A found in tomatoes can even boost your hair's health. It might not offer solutions for thinning hair, but it surely helps to strengthen your hair and add more shine to it.

8. Prevent kidney stones and gallstones

Kidney stones and gallstones are common health problems that may be prevented by eating tomatoes. They're said to reduce the risk of these problems arising, especially if they are eaten without the seeds.

9. Alleviate chronic pain

Did you know tomatoes can also fight pain? If you are suffering from mild to moderate chronic pain, such as from arthritis, chronic inflammation or back pain, you may want to consider tomatoes as a natural remedy. Since they are high in bioflavonoids and carotenoids (both anti-inflammatory agents), eating tomatoes can significantly lessen your pain.

10. Help in weight loss

Tomatoes are packed with water and fiber, making them excellent filling foods to stock up on if you are trying to lose weight. They can make great between-meal snacks, instead of apples, and they're also the perfect ingredient to use with your salads, casseroles or sandwiches, to make them more filling. Eating tomatoes will not only leave you satiated and give you lots of health benefits, it does all this without adding any extra calories or fat to your diet.

TIPS: Ways to include tomatoes in your food

• Add slices of tomatoes to your sandwiches, whether they have meat, fish, or are vegetarian
• Make a tomato sandwich, by adding some mustard or mayonnaise as a dressing
• Add chopped tomatoes to any salad (at room temperature, if possible)
• Make pasta sauce out of tomato pulp (canned, cooked or homemade), instead of creams
• Drink tomato juices or make tomato smoothies
• Add chopped tomatoes to your morning scrambled eggs or omelets
• Eat them raw as a mid-afternoon snack
• Add them to stews and soups
• Serve them stewed over baked potatoes or mashed potatoes
• Make tomato salsa to serve with fish, meats, and even salads