Tomato

The vegetable tomato belongs to the nightshade family. The common name tomato comes from the Aztec language. According to history, the plant comes from Central and South America and was probably brought to Europe with the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. In French, tomatoes used to be called “pommes d’amour” (love apples) because they were thought to have an aphrodisiac effect. In Italy, this name was adopted as “pomo d’amore” (love apple), which over time became pomodoro.

Among other things, the tomato contains vitamins A, B and C as well as sodium, potassium, magnesium and folic acid. It also contains the plant substance lycopene, a carotenoid that acts against free radicals and is said to prevent oxidative stress caused by UV radiation. While the minerals are said to regulate the skin’s moisture balance, vitamin A can control sebum production and vitamin C prevents premature skin ageing.
Lycopene is also responsible for the colour of the tomato. It is exciting that the absorption of this heat-stable pigment in the body is supposedly better from cooked or processed tomatoes than from raw tomatoes. Therefore, one should definitely consume cooked tomatoes or tomato paste more often. Or canned ADRIA tomatoes!