Tomatoes are partly sour and partly sweet and contain many seeds inside which are edible. The red colour present in tomatoes is due to lycopene, an anti-oxidant.
Tomatoes contain Vitamin C,K. lycopene, an antioxidant that reduces the risk of cancer and heart-diseases. They protect the eyes from light induced damage.
Essential for pregnant women as these tomatoes protect infants against neural tube defects.
Storage and Uses
Store tomatoes stem side down in a single layer, at room temperature, away from the sunlight.
Ripe tomatoes should be refrigerated if they need to be stored for a long time.
Tomatoes are used in salads, soups, curries, pickles, etc. Tomatoes that are cooked with a touch of oil gives more lycopene than raw ones.