Must Read: 13 Healthy Benefits Of Tomato Everyone Should Know

The tomato has been referred to as a "functional food," a food that goes beyond providing just basic nutrition. Due to their beneficial phytochemicals such as lycopene, tomatoes also play a role in preventing chronic disease and deliver other health benefits.

HERE THE TOP HEALTH BENEFITS OF TOMATOES

1. Tomatoes are good for your skin.

Tomatoes contain a high level of lycopene, which is a substance that is used in some of the more pricy facial cleansers that are available for purchase over-the-counter.

If you want to try tomatoes for skin care, you need to start with about eight to twelve tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes and then place the skin on your face with inside of the tomato touching your skin.

Leave the tomatoes on your face for a minimum of ten minutes, then wash. Your face will feel clean and shiny. Some redness may occur, but should fade with time.

2. Tomatoes help prevent several types of cancer.

A number of studies have been conducted that indicate that the high levels of lycopene in tomatoes works to reduce your chances of developing prostate, colorectal and stomach cancer.

Lycopene is a natural antioxidant that works effectively to slow the growth of cancerous cells. Cooked tomatoes produce even more lycopene, so go ahead and cook up a batch of your mom’s famous tomato soup.

3. Tomatoes help maintain strong bones.

Tomatoes contain a considerable amount of calcium and Vitamin K. Both of these nutrients are essential in strengthening and performing minor repairs on the bones as well as the bone tissue.

4. Tomatoes help repair damage caused by smoking.

No, eating tomatoes is not the most recent fad to help you quit smoking. However, tomatoes can reduce the amount of damaged done to your body by smoking cigarettes.

Tomatoes contain coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid that work to protect the body from carcinogens that are produced from cigarette smoke.

5. Tomatoes provide essential antioxidants.

Tomatoes contain a great deal of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. This is primarily because these vitamins and beta-carotene work as antioxidants to neutralize harmful free radicals in the blood.

Free radicals in the blood stream are dangerous because it may lead to cell damage. Remember, the redder the tomato you eat is, the more beta-carotene it contains. In addition, you also want to keep in mind that cooking destroys the Vitamin C, so for these benefits, the tomatoes need to be eaten raw.

6.Stroke

Lycopene may decrease stroke risk, at least in men. According to a 12-year study published in Neurology, middle-age men with the highest levels of lycopene in their blood had a 55 percent reduced rate of any kind of stroke. They had a 59 percent reduced rate of strokes from blood clots, the most common kind.

7.Cognition

The beta-carotene in tomatoes may help protect against cognitive decline. A study published in JAMA found that men who took beta-carotene supplements long term — the study covered 18 years — were less likely to lose cognitive abilities. Men who took beta-carotene supplements for only one year did not see results. The authors speculate that the long-term results were the result of beta-carotene acting as an antioxidant, but could also be the result of lifestyle factors or other characteristics. More studies are needed.

Additionally, some studies have linked diets with tomatoes to a reduced risk of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, according to World's Healthiest Foods.

8.Asthma

Some small-scale studies suggest that the lycopene content in tomatoes may help asthma sufferers. One study, published in Free Radical Research,found that taking tomato extract reduced lung inflammation. Another study, published in Allergy, found that a daily dose of lycopene for a week reduced exercise-induced asthma in 55 percent of participants. Researchers suspect this was because of an antioxidant effect in the lungs.

9.Nerve, muscle and cell health 

"Tomatoes are rich in potassium, a mineral that helps nerves and muscles communicate," said Mangieri. For example, potassium helps regulates your heart beat. "It helps move nutrients into cells and waste products out of cells," she added.

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10. Tomatoes are good for your heart.

Because of the Vitamin B and potassium in tomatoes, they are effective in reducing cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure. Therefore, by including tomatoes in your regular balanced diet you can effectively prevent heart attacks, strokes as well as many other heart related problems that may threaten your life.

 

11. Tomatoes are good for your hair.

The Vitamin A in tomatoes works perfectly to keep your hair shiny and strong. In addition, it also does wonders for your eyes, skin, bones and teeth.

12. Tomatoes are good for your kidneys.

Adding tomatoes without seeds to your diet has been proven in some studies to reduce the risk of kidney stones.

13. Tomatoes are good for your eyes.

The Vitamin A found in tomatoes is fantastic for improving your vision. In addition, eating tomatoes is one of the best foods to eat to prevent the development of night blindness.

Reference:Organicfacts