Tomatoes can prevent cancer and control blood sugar. Nutritionists warn: This group of people should not eat too much

An Italian proverb says: "When tomatoes turn red, the doctor's face turns green!" This shows that tomatoes have high nutritional value. They can not only fill your stomach, but are also a good helper for maintaining health and keeping away from diseases. However, nutritionists remind that there is a group of people who must pay attention to the cooking method and portion when eating tomatoes to avoid affecting their health.

Three nutrients in tomatoes: lycopene, vitamins, dietary fiber

Tomato scrambled eggs, tomato salad, tomato juice, tomato vegetable soup, and even the tomato rice which has been quite popular in recent years, our lives are filled with various tomato dishes. What is the charm of tomato dishes that can capture everyone's taste buds? In addition to its crispness, juiciness and unique taste, what is even more amazing is its health benefits.

Gao Huiwen, a nutritionist at the Millennium Love Health Foundation, said that tomatoes contain a lot of nutrients, among which "lycopene", "vitamin C" and "dietary fiber" are the most important. Lycopene is a phytochemical with strong antioxidant properties. It can improve cardiovascular diseases and has anti-cancer and anti-cancer effects, especially against prostate cancer.

Vitamin C also has powerful antioxidant ability, which helps to eliminate free radicals in the body and prevent aging. Many women eat tomatoes for the purpose of beauty. In addition to maintaining intestinal health, dietary fiber can also help control blood sugar. For diabetic patients, eating a "big tomato" as a snack when they are hungry is a good choice.

Big tomatoes VS small tomatoes, eating them right will make you healthier!

It should be noted that although both large tomatoes and small tomatoes are called "tomatoes", they are different food categories in nutrition and have slightly different health purposes!

Nutritionist Gao Huiwen said that compared to cherry tomatoes which are classified as "fruits", large red tomatoes or black tomatoes of the same weight can contain 1 times more water. In addition, their average sugar content is lower, so they are classified as "vegetables" in the food category and are especially suitable for diabetic patients. Cherry tomatoes have more concentrated ingredients and lycopene than large tomatoes of the same weight, so they are particularly suitable for people who want to improve their cancer prevention.

Tomatoes have many nutritional benefits. As long as you don’t get tired of them, you can eat them every day or with every meal. Cherry tomatoes are considered "fruits" after all, so it is recommended that you refer to the Chinese daily dietary guidelines that "two servings of fruit a day is just right" to avoid excessive intake , so as to prevent excessive fructose intake from affecting blood sugar.

As for large tomatoes, they are classified as "vegetables" and in principle, it is fine to eat them every day according to normal eating habits. However, nutritionist Gao Huiwen specifically reminds you to try to avoid taking them in the form of vegetable and vegetable juice. Tomato juice uses a large amount of tomatoes and has a relatively high concentration of lycopene, which can lead to overdose. If it accumulates in the body over a long period of time and is not easily excreted, it may cause pigmentation. Lycopene is a fat-soluble substance, so if consumed in excess, it may cause poisoning such as vomiting, dizziness, headache, sweating, loss of appetite, and hair loss, just like other fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E, and K.

Kidney patients should limit potassium intake and blanch tomatoes before eating

In addition to the fact that most people should not consume excessive amounts of lycopene, both large and small tomatoes are rich in potassium ions. Although they can promote calorie metabolism, people with chronic kidney disease, especially those undergoing dialysis, must reduce their consumption, or blanch the tomatoes to remove the potassium ions before eating, and do not drink the blanching water.

To promote the release of lycopene, is it better to fry tomatoes with oil?

As for whether tomatoes need to be fried with oil, nutritionist Gao Huiwen said that "heating" and "adding oil" can indeed promote the release of lycopene and help the body's absorption, but the heating and cooking process will inevitably destroy vitamin C, so you have to make a choice at this time. If the purpose is to supplement lycopene, it is recommended to eat cooked tomatoes, but oil is not necessary when cooking. If you eat it with other nuts or meat foods, the fat in these foods can also help release lycopene. It is recommended to supplement vitamin C that is destroyed during cooking from other fruits and vegetables.

Tomatoes are in season, so buying too many is a good idea to make your own tomato sauce

As tomatoes are in season, many housewives have the habit of "buying up when they are cheap" and "stockpiling", but nutritionist Gao Huiwen reminds us that it is better to eat fresh food, so it is recommended to buy in small quantities and buy more after finishing eating. If you accidentally buy too much, remember not to wash it immediately. Wipe the surface dry first, then wrap it in newspaper and put it in a sealed bag, or directly put it in a fresh-keeping box and store it in the refrigerator to extend the shelf life.

In addition, making your own tomato sauce is also a good method. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into small cubes, add them to the pot and stir-fry them with minced meat, vegetable oil, tomato sauce, appropriate amount of salt and sugar. When it becomes a paste, pour it into a glass container sterilized with hot water in advance. After cooling, cover it with a sealed lid and refrigerate it. It can usually be stored for 2 to 3 weeks. It is a good helper for cooking, stir-frying or stewing soup.