2023-06-28 18:25:44
The star food of the summer, the tomato is full of benefits: highly anti-inflammatory, it preserves, among other things, the health of the skin and the cardiovascular system. Our good advice to take advantage of it.
Raw or cooked tomato: which cooking is better for your health?
Unlike most vegetables, it is more interesting once passed to the pan : one of its main anti-ageing active ingredients, lycopene, then becomes more bio-available. As a result, in equal quantities, we find 6 times more lycopene in a tomato sauce than in raw vegetables, and up to 12 to 13 times more in a tomato paste in a tube or canned! “This is important, because a high lycopene content is associated with a reduction in cardiovascular risks, metabolic syndrome (hypercholesterolemia, triglycerides, etc.) and certain cancers, in particular of the prostate”emphasizes Jean-François Landrier, research director at Inrae1. However, there is no question of giving up on the tomato-mozzarella: “what is valid for some nutrients is not for others. Vitamin C, for example, is destroyed by heat. To benefit from all the beneficial substances of the tomato, it is best to mix raw and cooked “, says the expert. Above all, we always add a touch of oil to the preparation, because the fat boosts the assimilation of lycopene a little more.
Red tomato, green tomato or yellow tomato?
It’s not just a matter of taste, because the pigments that give vegetables their color have specific effects on our well-being. If the reds are rich in lycopene (especially cherry tomatoes because the antioxidant is concentrated in the skin), the yellows provide beta-carotene, which limits the aging of the skin and vision. As for the green ones, they contain chlorophyll, which helps cells oxygenate well, as well as two remarkable compounds: tomatine, which some studies suggest might inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells (liver, breast, colon, stomach) ; and tomatidine, which would contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass. To benefit from a wide range of nutrients beneficial to health, we aim for the rainbow on our plate.
Is it better to favor homemade or ready-made tomato sauce?
All ready! “The industrial cooking of tomatoes is done at lower temperatures than at home, so it better preserves the nutrients affected by high heat (vitamin C)explains Catherine Renard, doctor in physico-chemistry of bioproducts2. In addition, commercial tomato coulis and sauces are prepared with specific varieties of tomatoes, more concentrated, and picked when fully ripe, unlike table tomatoes.. From picking to jar (or canning), everything is done during the day! To prepare a more elaborate recipe (Bolognaise, Provençale, etc.), it is better to opt for a jar of commercial plain tomato sauce and add the other ingredients yourself to limit additives. Once opened, the sauce can be kept for a maximum of 5 days, covered, in the refrigerator.
Organic or without pesticide residues: which tomato to choose?
The tomato is not one of the most treated vegetables, but it is not free of pesticides either: in its 2019 inventory, the association Générations Futures indicated that around half of those from agriculture conventional would contain quantified residues. When it’s possible, we prefer organic or, better from a value for money point of view, we opt for products labeled Zero Pesticide Residue (initiated in 2018 precisely on the tomato sector). The promise ? Less use of chemicals (-50% than conventional) and the absence of quantifiable residues in the finished product.
Can we eat a tapped or damaged tomato?
Yes, but without dragging. “If the blow it took is accompanied by an opening of the skin, it is imperative to consume it during the dayrecommends Catherine Renard. Bacteria can indeed enter and molds develop”. Unfortunately, removing the damaged end is not always enough to eliminate the risk of contamination. If the skin is intact, you can wait two days, but no more: “beyond that, there will be a loss of organoleptic qualities”.
3 good habits for even better tomatoes
- Store the tomato at room temperature because, in the fridge, the tomato loses all its flavor in a few hours.
- Peel and deseed it. Only recommended if you suffer fromgastric acidity or diverticula (small hernias in the intestinal wall). To reduce its acidity, a little baking soda is added during cooking.
- Consume it to the point. Not ripe, the tomato may contain solanine, a toxic compound which causes diarrhea, vomiting, headaches…
1. National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment.
2. Deputy head of the Transform department at Inrae (food engineering sciences, biosourced products and residues of human activity).
Read also:
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25 recipe ideas to sublimate tomatoes
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How do I grow tomatoes on my balcony?
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