The tomato is the edible, often red, berry of the plant Solanum lycopersicum, commonly known as a tomato plant. The species originated in western South America and Central America. The Nahuatl (Aztec language) word tomatl gave rise to the Spanish word tomate, from which the English word tomato derived. Its domestication and use as a cultivated food may have originated with the indigenous peoples of Mexico. The Aztecs used tomatoes in their cooking at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, and after the Spanish encountered the tomato for the first time after their contact with the Aztecs, they brought the plant to Europe. From there, the tomato was introduced to other parts of the European-colonized world during the 16th century.
Tomatoes are a significant source of umami flavor. The tomato is consumed in diverse ways, raw or cooked, in many dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks. While tomatoes are fruits—botanically classified as berries—they are commonly used as a vegetable ingredient or side dish.
Tomato Nutrition Facts: Calories, Carbs, and Health Benefits
Tomato is 94.52% water, 3.89% carbohydrates, 0.88% protein, and contains 0.2% fat. If you consume one medium tomato you will get 4.785 grams of carbohydrates. It is equal to 3.68 percent of the 130 grams of carbohydrates you should include in your daily diet, according to the Institute of Medicine (US). That same a 100 gram reference serving of tomato provides 18 calories and is a good source of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) (18.27% of the Daily Value). This means if your diet contains tomatoes, it helps your body to absorb iron from food and defend itself more naturally since vitamin C is an antioxidant, reduce probability of heart disease by fighting cholesterol, reduce the risk of anemia as this vitamin absorbs iron and it is effective against gout (a type of arthritis) attacks by reducing blood uric acid levelsdementia since vitamin C impacts memory positivelyhigh blood pressure. It contains low amount of minerals.
