Tomatoes are a common vegetable on our dinner tables, and their sweet and sour taste, as well as their rich juice, also lead them to be eaten raw as a fruit. In the summer, a plate of chilled sugar-dusted tomatoes is a favorite for both adults and children. However, some people experience diarrhea after eating them. Are our usual methods of eating tomatoes correct, and what are the precautions?
1. It is best not to eat them with cucumbers
Because cucumbers contain an enzyme that breaks down vitamin C, which can destroy the vitamin C content in other vegetables. Tomatoes are a typical vegetable rich in vitamin C. If eaten together, the vitamin C absorbed from the tomatoes is broken down by the enzyme in the cucumbers, making it impossible to achieve the nutritional supplement effect.
2. Not suitable for consumption when taking anticoagulant drugs such as heparin and coumarin
Tomatoes contain a relatively high amount of vitamin K. The main function of vitamin K is to catalyze the synthesis of prothrombin and thrombokinase in the liver, causing a coagulation effect in the human body. When taking anticoagulant drugs and eating tomatoes, the coagulation effect of vitamin K will counteract the anticoagulant drugs, reducing the drug's efficacy.
3. Not suitable for consumption on an empty stomach
Tomatoes contain a large amount of soluble astringents and other components that react with stomach acid, forming indissolvable lumps. These hard lumps may block the pylorus (the outlet of the stomach), causing discomfort symptoms such as bloating and pain in the stomach and intestines. Eating tomatoes after a meal is generally fine, as the stomach acid has already mixed with other foods, reducing its concentration and preventing it from reacting with the aforementioned gelatinous substances.
4. Not suitable for consumption when unripe
Green tomatoes contain glycoalkaloids (solanine) in the form of needle-like crystals, which are very stable in alkali but can be hydrolyzed by acid. Therefore, eating unripe green tomatoes often causes discomfort. In mild cases, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, and in severe cases, it can lead to poisoning. Especially when green tomatoes start to rot, their solanine content is destroyed. Once the green tomatoes turn red, they no longer contain solanine.
5. Not suitable for consumption after prolonged cooking
Prolonged cooking causes them to lose their original nutrients and flavor. This is because lycopene is easily broken down by light, heat, and oxygen, losing its health benefits. Therefore, cooking should avoid prolonged high-temperature heating.
In addition, the redder the tomato, the more lycopene it contains. Processed tomatoes are better than fresh ones because lycopene is more easily absorbed. Research shows that a diet rich in lycopene can reduce the risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as intestinal diseases, and helps to delay skin aging.