Compared to common vegetables, tomatoes are rich in natural antioxidants, including vitamin C and lycopene. Should tomatoes be eaten raw or cooked?
Everyone is familiar with vitamin C, which can prevent colds and treat scurvy. Lycopene is the natural pigment that gives tomatoes their red color. Its role in the human body is similar to carotene, making it a powerful antioxidant. Experiments have shown that lycopene has a significant effect on preventing atherosclerosis, reducing oxidative damage, and protecting vascular endothelial function. The higher the lycopene content in human plasma, the lower the incidence of coronary heart disease. Lycopene also has excellent anti-cancer properties. Its potent antioxidant activity can eliminate free radicals that promote cancer cell growth and prevent the proliferation of cancer cells. Research has found that women with uterine fibroids and cervical cancer have lower levels of lycopene in their serum than healthy women. When the serum lycopene level is high, the risk of gastric cancer and digestive tract cancer is lower.
Research has also found that consuming processed tomatoes increases the concentration of antioxidants like lycopene in the blood more than eating raw tomatoes. This is because high temperatures break down the cell walls of the tomatoes, thereby increasing the release of antioxidants like lycopene. Furthermore, tomatoes are often cooked with vegetable oils like peanut oil or salad oil, which help tomatoes naturally release fat-soluble antioxidants like lycopene, fully exerting their antioxidant effects. Of course, there are pros and cons; after heating, the vitamin C content in tomatoes is lost, but the levels of lycopene and other antioxidants significantly increase. Therefore, the overall nutritional value of cooked tomatoes is higher than that of raw tomatoes. Additionally, the tomato skin contains a large amount of lycopene, so it is best not to peel it when eating.
For patients with vitamin C deficiency, eating raw tomatoes is also a good way to supplement it. However, unripe green tomatoes contain toxins and should not be eaten. Additionally, some tomatoes have a protruding top due to the use of plant hormones during their growth, and these tomatoes should also not be consumed.