“Red as a tomato” is a popular expression describing someone who suddenly blushes for some reason. In the case of the fruit itself, developed from the flower of the tomato plant, the colour is also a sign of what it contains: a richness of antioxidants highly beneficial for the body , especially lycopene, which gives it the red tone. Note that tomato: Contrary to what one might think, it is not a product of European origin: it came from the Americas and found favourable growing conditions in Europe, mostly in Mediterranean countries, that offered it what it needs to grow, namely plenty of sun and mild temperatures. Has a long cropping season: starting in June and lasting until October, months where it should be consumed and prepared to be preserved in winter (in pulp or potted). There are hundreds of varieties, the most common being the globe tomato, the Roma tomato, the Beefsteak tomato (the best in the world, as some chefs say), cocktail tomato and cherry tomato. In short, a profusion of shapes, tones (orange, green, purple…) and flavours. In nutritional terms, they have a low energy level, but are high in water (95%), vitamins (A, C, E and B complex) and minerals (potassium, phosphorus and magnesium). Besides lycopene, they have other antioxidants (fundamental for cell protection), such as carotenoids, quercetin, ascorbic acid, and tocopherols. Portugal, with large growing areas in Ribatejo, Oeste, Alentejo and Algarve, is the sixth greatest world producer of tomato (after the USA, China, Italy, Spain and Chile): 1 million 600 thousand tons in 2021, according to the INE. The large majority goes to the processing industry and exportation. In the kitchen, the tomato is a widely versatile food , entering the most varied dishes (from soups and salads to desserts), whether raw, cooked, in pulp or simply crushed. Sources Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição DGS, Programa Nacional para a Promoção da Alimentação Saudável Learn the recipes by our nutritionists Alexandra Lima , Cristina Vieira Cunha , Liliana Natário and Sónia Xavier . Meet the nutrition clinical team from Hospital da Luz network
