When it comes to tomatoes, the first dishes that come to mind are tomato and egg stir-fry, or sugar-dressed tomatoes. But eating them this way all the time is truly a "disservice" to the tomato. As one of the most nutritious and cheapest vegetables at the market, the tomato is actually a great match with many other dishes.
Tomatoes paired with these 4 dishes are very nutritious
Tomato and eggplant stew. The most frustrating thing about cooking eggplant is that it soaks up oil easily. But with tomatoes, it's different. This dish blends the acidity of the tomato with the tenderness of the eggplant, combining their nutrients into one. It removes the greasiness of braised eggplant and neutralizes the acidity of the tomato, making it delicious and visually appealing.
Tomato and cauliflower stir-fry. This dish is very suitable for the elderly and is a great appetizer. Tomatoes aid digestion and promote the production of body fluids, while cauliflower is rich in potassium, calcium, folic acid, and selenium, and is an excellent source of fiber. It helps with digestion, stimulates appetite, and prevents constipation.
Tomato and potato slices. This dish can help prevent high blood pressure because both ingredients share a common characteristic: they are rich in potassium. Potassium promotes the excretion of sodium from the blood, has a blood pressure-lowering, diuretic, and anti-swelling effect, and is beneficial as an adjunct treatment for high blood pressure and kidney disease.
Tomato and shrimp stir-fry. Shrimp has a soft texture and is easy to digest, with a protein content several to tens of times higher than that of fish, eggs, or milk. Stir-fried with eggs and tomatoes, the shrimp is snow-white, the eggs are tender yellow, and the tomatoes are bright red, making for a beautiful color, balanced nutrition, and a delicious taste that also strengthens the spleen and stimulates the appetite.
Tomato and eggplant stew
However, there are some taboos to be aware of when eating tomatoes:
No1. It's best not to eat them with cucumbers
Cucumbers contain an enzyme that breaks down vitamin C, which can destroy the rich vitamin C content in other vegetables. Tomatoes are a classic example of a vegetable rich in vitamin C. If eaten together, the vitamin C we get from the tomatoes is broken down by the enzyme in the cucumbers, and we cannot achieve the nutritional supplement effect.
No2. Not suitable for consumption when taking anticoagulant drugs such as heparin and coumarin
Tomatoes contain a relatively high amount of vitamin K. Vitamin K's main function is to catalyze the synthesis of prothrombin and thrombokinase in the liver. When vitamin K is insufficient, the synthesis of prothrombin is restricted, prolonging clotting time and causing subcutaneous and muscle bleeding.
No3. Not suitable for consumption on an empty stomach
Tomatoes contain a large amount of soluble astringents and other components that react with stomach acid to form insoluble lumps. These hard lumps can block the pylorus, the exit of the stomach, causing discomfort such as bloating and pain. Eating tomatoes after a meal is fine because the stomach acid has already mixed with other foods and is less concentrated, so it won't react with the aforementioned colloids.
No4. Not suitable for consumption when unripe
Green tomatoes contain glycoalkaloids (solanine), which are in the form of needle-like crystals and are very stable in alkali but can be hydrolyzed by acid. Therefore, eating unripe green tomatoes often causes discomfort, with a bitter taste in the mouth in mild cases and symptoms of poisoning in severe cases. This is especially true when green tomatoes start to rot, as their solanine is destroyed. When green tomatoes turn red, they no longer contain solanine.