It’s no secret that maintaining a healthy diet for a long time brings great benefits to the body. When this good life habit is applied, the body remains in optimal conditions and is ready to fight different types of diseases.
Including in the daily diet foods of plant origin such as, for example, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts is very important, because these natural products offer the body a large amount of vitamins and other nutrientswhich are essential for the body to function correctly.
Precisely, when it comes to the consumption of vegetables, there is one that stands out among the others because its benefits are enormous. It is about the tomato, a food that in other countries is called jitomate or tomaquera.
A vegetable such as tomato accumulates more than ten medicinal properties. And, according to the digital platform of the Interdisciplinary Institute for Innovation of the University of Talca, in Chile, these are benefits:
2. Protects heart health. The same lycopene that accumulates in a plant-based food such as tomato has the ability to lower high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, therefore, it decreases the risk of suffering a heart attack and improves the health of the vital organ itself.
3. Source of vitamins and minerals. “A tomato can provide around 40% of the daily requirement of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant that acts against cancer caused by free radicals. It also contains vitamin A and plenty of potassium, as well as iron. Potassium plays a vital role in maintaining nerve health and iron is essential for maintaining blood health. Vitamin K, which is essential in blood clotting and controls bleeding, is abundant in tomatoes.”
4. Improves vision. Vitamin A is also an essential nutrient to prevent eye conditions, thus improving visual ability.
5. Keeps the gut healthy. “The tomato keeps the digestive system healthy and prevents constipation and diarrhea. It also prevents jaundice and effectively removes toxins from the body.”
6. Lowers blood pressure. The tomato is a great ally for lowering high blood pressure, so it helps prevent hypertension.
7. Relieves diabetes. A study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that daily tomato consumption reduces oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes.
8. Prevents gallstones. Including this food in daily consumption also helps dissolve gallstones.
