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The wonder vegetable
LEENA LEONLEENA LEON
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There are so many things that you can do with tomatoes, they are healthy and rich in anti-oxidants
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RED AND HEALTHY Tomatoes , the vegetable-fruit that is a good source of potassium and Vitamin C
Tomato is a well known and very popular vegetable fruit grown throughout India for its usually round, smooth and juicy fruit. It ranks as the world's largest vegetable crop next to potato and sweet potato. Lycopersicum esculentum is the botanical name of this bright red vege-fruit. Besides making juice, the versatile tomato can be used in soups, salads, pickles, ketchups and many other items. The origin of tomato can be traced to South America. Spanish priests brought it to Europe from Mexico and in India, it was introduced by Portuguese traders.
Earlier tomato was considered poisonous because of its red colour. They were sometimes called `love apples', because of the superstition that eating tomatoes made people fall in love. It was much later the tomato started gaining popularity and nowadays it has become an indispensable part of kitchens throughout the world.
Tomato seeds require 75 to 85 days to develop into a mature plant with ripe fruit. Ideally rich, loamy soil with some sand and a good clay sub soil are suited for its cultivation. At least 6 hours of direct sunlight is essential for its high yield, proper ripening and colour development.
Health benefits
This wonder vegetable fruit does great things for our body. It is a good source of potassium, carotene and vitamin C. Very low in calories (100 grams of tomato contains 20 kilo calories), it forms an important ingredient of a weight reducing diet. The red carotenoid pigment lycopene in tomato is an important antioxidant. These antioxidants trap up the free radicals in our body and help to remove these free radicals and fortify the immune system.
Lycopene is an excellent cancer preventive especially prostate cancer. The alkali content of tomato aids in elimination of uric acid. Recent research has shown that tomato contains a component P3, which inhibits platelets in blood from clumping together and forming blood clots.
Tomato extracts are widely used in skincare products, especially in face packs. Daily use of tomato juice leaves the skin fresh and free from blemishes thus keeping the skin toned and glowing. For the face pack - squeeze a small tomato, apply it on the face and neck for 15 minutes, wash it off with warm water-clears the skin, leaving it fresh and free from blemishes thus keeping the skin toned and glowing.
It is generally believed that consumption of tomato may result in the formation of bladder stones and it is not suitable for those who suffer from gout. Purine and oxalic acid are substances known to be associated for these diseases. But purine and oxalic content of tomato is less comparable to many other fruits and vegetables. No doubt tomato is a vege-fruit, which is easily available throughout the year at a relatively low price. It is a miracle food and its inclusion in the daily diet is very much recommended.
Fat-free tomato noodles soup
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
Tomatoes - 500 gms (for making 3 cups of tomato puree)
Onion (chopped) - 1
Noodles - 50 gms
Capsicum and Celery (chopped) - 2 tbsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Water - 2 cups
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Coriander leaves - a few
Whipped cream - 2 tbsp
Method
Blanch tomatoes. Dip tomato in boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes. Peel its skin, liquidize and strain.
Put a shallow pan on fire, pour water in to it, and add noodles and chopped onions. Boil till done.
Add tomato puree into this. Bring to boil, stir well and pour the corn flour-milk mixture.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add chopped capsicum and celery.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and whipped cream. Serve hot with fried bread crumbs.
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