Four Season Food

Enjoy the heart-healthy benefits of tomatoes all year

By Susan E. Del Gobbo, MPH, RD, UVA Health System dietitian

During the winter, a freshly grown tomato isn’t likely on your shopping list. But science shows that you should definitely consider enjoying tomatoes in their canned or frozen forms all year long. Turns out that processed varieties may even be better for you. 

Few foods compare in taste to a freshly harvested tomato. Yet within hours of harvest, fresh tomatoes are transformed into tomato products—including canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato soup, tomato juice and ketchup. 

It is well known that eating generous amounts of fruits and vegetables are likely to reduce the risk of a number of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer, and recent research hints that tomato products may be protective in such diverse conditions as ultraviolet-induced damage and osteoporosis. 

Let’s look at the nutritional wealth that tomatoes bring to the table. 

Tomato products are generously stocked with vitamins and minerals

...especially vitamin C and potassium. Among nutrients found in tomatoes, scientists are particularly intrigued with carotenoids—antioxidants that inactivate free radicals, slow progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and protect against cancer. 

Lycopene stands out as the most abundant carotenoid in tomato products. Several studies suggest it may be the powerhouse behind tomatoes’ health-protective properties. 

Interestingly, the lycopene from processed tomatoes is more bioavailable (or better absorbed by your body) than from fresh tomatoes. This is because processing breaks down the tomato cell matrix, resulting in greater absorption of lycopene. This is good news given that tomato products account for more than 80% of the lycopene in the American diet. 

Lycopene also appears to help protect against heart attack. This is the finding of a multicenter, case-controlled study from 10 European countries. 

Nutrients in tomatoes work together and with other foods to enhance health benefits.

A study done in Israel, for instance, found that a tomato extract was better at inhibiting LDL oxidation (helping reduce bad cholesterol) compared with pure lycopene. 

Cooking tomatoes with olive oil may make them healthier too. Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital evaluated lycopene or tomato-based food and cardiovascular disease risk in a study of 40,000 middle-aged and older women. The study found that women who consumed oil-based tomato products had healthier cardiovascular systems. 

Fortunately, combining tomatoes and oil is a common practice in traditional cuisines around the world. Think tomato sauce, enchiladas, ratatouille and chili. Research also confirms that combining tomatoes with garlic, another common culinary practice, makes them even better for you. 

Tomatoes may also help reduce heart-hurting inflammation.

A growing body of research suggests that inflammation may be a significant factor in the development of chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease. Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004), show that adults who consumed processed tomatoes had lower serum C-reactive protein, a recognized biomarker of inflammation.  

Tomatoes can also inhibit high blood pressure, likely because they are packed with potassium. 

So love your heart by enjoying more lycopene-rich tomato products every day of the year. 

Here are ways to get more tomatoes in your diet: 

1. Make a pot of soup featuring canned tomatoes, from lentil to tomato vegetable. 
2. Add canned, diced tomatoes to casseroles such as tamale pie. 
3. Stew diced tomatoes and beans such as black-eyed peas. 
4. Try Indian tomato-based curries as an aromatic, flavorful meal choice. 
5. Create a healthy stew with canned tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, peas and string beans along with beans or venison or lean beef and seasonings. 
6. Make home-made pizza with whole grain crust, pizza sauce and lots of veggies. 

Adapted from an article by Sharon Palmer, RD in the newsletter of the Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutritionists, a practice group of the American Dietetic Association.