Is Tomato a vegetable or a fruit? Well, people will never be done with this debate but both the parties agree that tomatoes are extremely delicious and wonderfully healthy. They are a nutrient-dense, super-food that most people should be eating more of. Their deep red color makes everyone fall for them. They are delicious eaten raw,

in salads or on sandwiches, and take on a wonderful sweetness when cooked. Food experts refer tomato as a “functional food” – a food that goes beyond providing just basic nutrition. We know you’ve given your heart to tomatoes but do you know tomatoes keep your heart secure and healthy too? One medium whole tomato provides

around 22 calories, 0 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein and 6 milligrams of sodium. It also provides 40 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, 20 percent of the RDA of vitamin A, 2 percent of the RDA of iron, and 1 percent of the RDA of calcium. Tomatoes are

enriched in fiber, potassium, vitamin C and choline that all support heart health. Perfect intake of potassium can reduce the risk of having a heart attack. A study shows that those who consumed 4069 mg of potassium per day had a 49% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less potassium.

Tomatoes also contain folic acid, which helps to keep homocysteine levels in check, thereby reducing a risk factor for heart disease. Vitamin E and vitamin C provided by tomatoes play a critical antioxidant support role in the cardiovascular system, and maintain the health of our hearts. Regulation of fats is also an important

activity to be discussed when talking about heart attack. Tomatoes contain lycopene which is a phytonutrient that improves the profile of fats in our bloodstream. According to researchers, the highest average intakes of lycopene were linked to almost a 30% reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart

disease. Tomato intake has been proven to result in decreased total cholesterol level of body and accumulation of cholesterol molecules inside of white cells. The excessive amount of cholesterol in our blood can cause clumping together of white cells that in turn can cause problems for our bloodstream in terms of blockage and

unwanted clotting, and prevention of this excessive clumping is important for maintaining heart health. Intake of tomatoes puts white blood cells in a unique position to help us optimize our cardiovascular health. 407

“Now you know tomatoes are not just good for your taste buds but they are an awesome army to fight against heart disease so, grab yourself a basket of tomatoes and have them in each and every way you can. ”