Benefits of Tomatoes on the Ketogenic diet

Tomatoes are popular in many cuisines worldwide, from Italian to American and Mexican. Tomatoes are a perfect fruit for the ketogenic diet because they’re low in carbs, but rich in nutrients. Let’s talk about the benefits of tomatoes.

Tomato Nutrition Information

The tomato is native to South America. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is actually a fruit from the nightshade family, but it’s generally prepared and eaten like a vegetable. Tomatoes come in a variety of vibrant colors, including yellow, orange, purple, and green. Many subspecies of tomatoes exist with varying flavors and shapes.

Tomatoes have around 95% water and 5% fiber and carbohydrates. Simple sugars like fructose and glucose make up around 70% of the carb content. Tomatoes are a great source of fiber giving you about 1.5 grams per average-sized tomato. The fibers in tomatoes (87%) are insoluble.

Versatile and tasty, tomatoes are also rich in several minerals and vitamins, including vitamin C and K1, folate, and potassium ^{[1] [2] [3]}.

Potassium is beneficial for heart disease prevention and blood pressure control and vitamin K1 is important for bone health and blood clotting. Folate or vitamin B9 is necessary for normal cell function and tissue growth ^{[4] [5] [6]}.

What are the Health Benefits of Tomatoes?

The high nutrient and low carb content of tomatoes are just some of the many reasons why they’re so advantageous for your health. Tomatoes are a significant source of lycopene — an antioxidant associated with myriad health benefits, including a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease.

Tomatoes contain a range of plant compounds, such as beta carotene and naringenin. Beta carotene is an antioxidant that often gives food a yellow or orange color. Your body converts beta carotene into vitamin A. Naringenin is a flavonoid found in the tomato skin that’s been shown to lower inflammation and protect against certain diseases in mice ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}.

Consuming tomatoes might improve your heart health and reduce your risk of heart disease. For example, one study in middle-aged men associated low blood levels of lycopene and beta-carotene to a heightened risk of strokes and heart attacks. Supplementing with lycopene might help lower LDL cholesterol or what some experts call the ‘bad’ cholesterol ^{[11] [12] [13]}.

Impressive clinical studies of tomato products point to benefits against inflammation and oxidative stress. Tomatoes also show a protective effect on the inner layer of blood vessels and might reduce the risk of blood clotting ^{[14] [15]}.

Talking Tomatoes!

Tomatoes are a delicious fruit to include on your ketogenic diet. A tomato allergy is rare, but some people might be allergic to tomatoes or the nightshade family. Some people with autoimmune diseases or certain medical problems might choose to remove nightshades from the diet for a certain time period to ensure tomatoes aren’t prompting an allergic or negative reaction.

Overall, tomatoes are a healthy, nutritious, and keto-approved fruit! Remember, just because tomatoes are keto-friendly doesn’t mean all tomato products are. Many tomato sauces, juices, paste, and salsas contain sneaky added sugars, so always check the ingredients.

Try some of these tasty tomato-rich recipes:

• Home-made Sugar-Free Keto Ketchup
• Roasted Low-Carb Veggies
• Keto Chili
• Eggs Benedict
• Keto Meatloaf
• Ricotta Parmigiano Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce
• Mini Keto Pizza on Cloud Bread
• Keto Summer Caprese Salad

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