Cold tomatoes salad is a dish that all of us are very familiar with, but some people say that tomatoes are more nutritious when cooked, why is there such a statement? Is it better to eat tomatoes cooked or raw?
When it comes to the nutrition of tomatoes, the first thing everyone thinks of is vitamin C. In addition, its mineral and dietary fiber content are also relatively rich. Obviously, these nutrients can be obtained by eating them raw.
So what are the additional benefits of eating cooked tomatoes? The answer is lycopene and carotene. We often hear a saying now, which is to eat vegetables to be "colorful"—recommending that we eat a variety of colorful foods because they contain many nutrients with special effects, such as lycopene and carotene found in many orange and red fruits and vegetables.
Lycopene is a type of carotenoid, which has strong antioxidant effects and can help reduce the risk of various cancers such as prostate cancer. At the same time, it also helps to delay aging and enhance immunity. Carotene is a pro-vitamin A, which can be converted into vitamin A in the body. Both of these nutrients are fat-soluble. Heating and cooking can better break down the cells of tomatoes, and compared to chewing with teeth alone, it can better release the two nutrients. At the same time, if stir-fried with oil, vegetable oil will also make the two better absorbed and utilized.
Therefore, when everyone eats cooked tomatoes, they don't have to worry about the loss of vitamin C, because the organic acids rich in tomatoes can protect it from damage, and they can better absorb and utilize the lycopene and carotene it is rich in. You just need to choose the eating method you like.