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1.
Tomatoes were first cultivated in 700 AD by Aztecs and Incas.
Explorers returning from Mexico introduced the tomato into Europe,
where it was first mentioned in 1556. Once thought to be poisonous,
tomatoes have become one of the most widely grown and commercially
important crops.
2.
The tomato is in the same family as the potato, pepper, eggplant,
and petunia.
3.
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C and fiber, and are cholesterol
free. An average size tomato has only about 35 calories.
Furthermore, new medical research suggests that the consumption of
lycopene (the stuff that makes
tomatoes red) may prevent certain
cancers.
In 57 out of 72 research studies, it was found that higher intake of
tomatoes or higher blood levels of lycopene correlated with
protection from cancer . Findings in 35 of these studies were
statistically significant and offered evidence that the consumption
of tomatoes provided a protective effect that was strongest for
cancers of the prostate, lung, and stomach, but some evidence of a
protective effect also appeared for cancers of the pancreas, colon,
rectum, esophagus (throat), mouth, breast, and cervix. Many doctors
recommend that people who are not allergic to tomatoes increase
their intake to reduce their risk of cancer. In short,
tomatoes are good for you; but, you knew that already, didn't
you?
4.
According to the 1996 edition of the Guinness Book of Records the
largest tomato ever grown weighed in at 7 pounds, 12 ounces!
5.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans eat more
than 22 pounds of tomatoes every year .
6.
Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit. This is because, generally, a
fruit is the edible part of the plant that contains the seeds, while
a vegetable is the edible stems, leaves, and roots of the plant. But
it 1893 the supreme court ruled in the case of
NIX v. HEDDEN tomatoes were to be
considered vegetables. We'll let you be the judge of that! |