Health Benefits of Tomatoes (2024)

Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on September 29, 2023

Written by Paul Frysh

What’s So Great About Them?

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Tomatoes are loaded with a substance called lycopene. It gives them their bright red color and helps protect them from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. In much the same way, it can help protect your cells from damage. Tomatoes also have potassium, vitamins B and E, and other nutrients.

Immune System

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Lycopene is an antioxidant -- it fights molecules called free radicals that can damage your cells and affect your immune system. Because of that, foods high in lycopene, like tomatoes, may make you less likely to have lung, stomach, or prostate cancer. Some research shows they might help prevent the disease in the pancreas, colon, throat, mouth, breast, and cervix as well.

Heart

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Lycopene also may help lower your levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, as well as your blood pressure. And that may lower your chances of heart disease. Other nutrients in tomatoes, like vitamins B and E and antioxidants called flavonoids, may boost your heart health, too.

Eyes

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Tomatoes have substances called lutein and zeaxanthin that may help protect your eyes from the blue light made by digital devices like smartphones and computers. They also may help keep your eyes from feeling tired and ease headaches from eyestrain. And some research shows they may even make you less likely to have a more serious form of the leading cause of blindness in the U.S.: age-related macular degeneration.

Lungs

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Some studies show that tomatoes may be helpful for people who have asthma and may help prevent emphysema, a condition that slowly damages the air sacs in your lungs. That may be because lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, among other antioxidants, fight the harmful substances in tobacco smoke, which is the leading cause of emphysema. Scientists are trying to learn more about those effects.

Blood Vessels

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Oral Health

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Studies have shown that lycopene may help with the gum diseases gingivitis and periodontitis in the same way it may help prevent cancer -- by fighting free radicals. But eating lots of raw tomatoes can damage the enamel on your teeth -- thanks to the high amount of acid -- and brushing soon afterward can make that worse. It’s a good idea to wait at least 30 minutes before you brush.

Skin

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You know hats and sunscreen can help shield you from the sun. Well, the lycopene in tomatoes may do something for that, too, possibly in the same way it protects tomatoes. It's not a substitute for sunscreen, and you don’t put it on your skin. It helps, though, by workingon your cells from the inside.

Fresh vs. Canned

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Both can be good for you, but in different ways. Nutrients like lycopene may be easier for your body to take in and use fromcanned tomato products compared with fresh tomatoes. But the heat that’s used to process them can get rid of some vitamin C and other nutrients.

Serving Suggestion: Caprese Salad

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Fresh summer tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella cheese, olive oil, and basil -- it’s beautiful and delicious. The combo also works from a health perspective: Your body needs the fat in ingredients like cheese and olive oil to take in and use certain nutrients, including lycopene.

Serving Suggestion: Homemade Marinara

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This is a great way to get the most out of the tomato’s most famous nutrient: lycopene. The heat used to cook the tomatoes can make the nutrient easier for your body to use. And you can add a touch of olive oil to help you absorb it.

Serving Suggestion: Salsa

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Use this in place of tomato-based sauces like ketchup and barbecue sauce, which can be loaded with sugar, salt, and preservatives. Make your own so you know exactly what’s going into it, or check the labels and look for a healthy version.

Serving Suggestion: Roasted Tomatoes

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If you’ve never roasted them over the grill, you’re missing out on a treat. Their intense smoky flavor makes for a nice side dish with whatever you’re serving. If it’s too cold to get out to the grill, just broil them in the oven and drizzle on a little olive oil.

FAQs

Health Benefits of Tomatoes? ›

Tomatoes are wealthy in natural nutrients and minerals, such as Vitamin A, K, B1, B3, B5, B6, B7, and vitamin C. It additionally has folate, iron, potassium, magnesium, chromium, choline, zinc, and phosphorus. Daily intake of tomatoes can provide a great lift to wellbeing, along with improving the flavor of food.

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Is it good to eat tomatoes every day? ›

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What do tomatoes do to your body? ›

The bottom line. Tomatoes are juicy and sweet, full of antioxidants, and may help fight several diseases. They are especially high in lycopene, a plant compound linked to improved heart health, cancer prevention, and protection against sunburns. Tomatoes can be a valuable part of a healthy diet.

Are tomatoes high in sugar? ›

Tomatoes are not high in sugar, and neither are carrots. Tomatoes, similar to carrots, are considered a non-starchy vegetable in meal planning for diabetes. This means that the amount of naturally occurring sugar is minimal in a serving.

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Do tomatoes count as a daily vegetable? ›

For example, tomatoes, avocados, eggplants, cucumbers, green peppers, zucchini, butternut squash, and others are classified as fruits by botanists because they are the fleshy plant part surrounding its seeds. However, for nutritional and culinary purposes, these foods are considered to be vegetables rather than fruits.

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Is it good to eat tomatoes at night? ›

Tomatoes should also be avoided close to when you go to bed. Because of their acidity, tomatoes can cause you to experience acid reflux when you lie down. Save tomatoes for lunch or dinner earlier in the evening but not within an hour or two of bedtime.