Tomato – the world’s most popular fruit

Tomato is the world’s most popular fruit. Botanically speaking tomato is a kind of fruit, not a vegetable like the brinjal and the pumpkin. More than 60 million tons of tomatoes are produced per year.

Tomatoes were first cultivated in 700 AD by Aztecs and Incas. The French people called it as “the apple of love” and the Germans “the apple of paradise.” Tomatoes are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber and cholesterol free.

New medical research recommends that the consumption of lycopene (the stuff that makes tomatoes red) and it may prevent cancer. Lycopene is the most powerful antioxidant in the carotenoid family. They have natural compounds that create the colors of fruits and vegetables. They are rich in vitamins C and E; protect us from the free radicals that degrade many parts of the body. Tomatoes are used in many food product likely tomato sauce, pasta and pizza. According to the Council of Steel Packing survey in 1997, 68% of chefs use canned tomatoes for convenience and flavoring.

The scientific term for the common tomato is lycopersicon lycopersicum, and it mean “wolf peach”. Tomato is a cousin of the eggplant, red pepper, ground cherry, potato and also commonly known as nightshade or solanaccae. There are nearly 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.

Do not store ripened tomatoes in the fridge where cooked tomatoes have higher concentrations of lycopene than non-cooked tomatoes.