MamasHealth.com Home Fruits Apple Avocado Blueberry Cherry Mango Mangosteen Pineapple Strawberry Tomato Links Vegetarian Information Back to Basics Wheat Grass Juicer Jack LaLanne Juicer Juice diets Omega 8003 juicer Single Auger Juicer Tips to cook fruit Freeze dried fruit vs frozen fruit Apricot jam recipe Banana jam recipe Blueberry jam recipe Boysenberry jam recipe Papaya jam recipe Peach jam recipe Pineapple jam recipe Strawberry jam recipe Tips to save the earth Email Mama Sign up for the MamasHealth Newsletter	Tomato Tomato Nutrition One medium sized tomato provides about one half of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C, and 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A needs. Tomatoes are also a great source of fiber, carbohydrate, potassium and iron. Tomatoes are also low in fat and sodium. Tomatoes also contain an antioxidant called lycopene. Types of tomatoes There are several types of tomatoes. Some common types of tomatoes are: cherry, red Beefsteak, Roma, Stupice, San Marzano, and yellow pear. Picking a tomato If you are picking a tomatoes out of a garden, pick when they are fully firm and red. Try not to let them ripen on the vine. Place picked tomatoes in the shade. Green tomatoes don't need light to ripen. Once you pick or buy a tomato, do not place it in the refrigerator. A chilled tomato will not finish ripening because cold halts the ripening process. Cold also kills the flavor of tomatoes. Growing tomatoes in your garden If you plan to grow tomatoes in your garden, place them in a sunny spot with warm temperatures. Tomatoes grow best when the temperatures are 70 to 80 during the day and 60 to 70 at night. Tomatoes thrive in well-drained soil and will need about 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Is tomato a fruit of vegetable? A tomato is a fruit, however, everyone calls it a vegetable. A fruit is the mature reproductive body of a plant. A vegetable is the edible part of a plant such as a root, stem or leaf. Cooking Tips Coring: Using a sharp paring knife make several angled cuts through the stem and under the core. Seeding: Lay the tomato on its side and halve with a sharp serrated knife. Squeeze each half firmly enough to push out the seeds. Slicing: First core the tomato and lay it on its side. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut a very thin slice off both ends and discard. Slice the tomato to desired thickness. Peeling: To eliminate the skin in cooked dishes, gently lower 2 or 3 tomatoes at a time into enough boiling water to cover. Boil for 15 to 30 seconds, lift into a colander with a slotted spoon. Rinse briefly under cold running water. Peel off and discard skins.	Featured Book
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