No idea about tomatoes health benefits?Check them out today!.

Tomatoes are low-calorie and nutrient-dense, making them an important part of a balanced diet.Raw tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, which brightens skin and fights inflammation while cooked tomatoes releases more antioxidants such as lycopene, which may protect against cancer.Tomatoes offer various benefits and contribute to heart, cognitive (brain), and prostate health.

Whether you cook a tomato or eat it raw can affect which nutrients are most available for absorption, but you can’t go wrong with a balanced diet.Variety is key, and this really goes for any fruits and vegetables.Try to eat them raw, cooked, and steamed, just because depending on the different methods, it can definitely increase or decrease the nutrients found in the particular fruit or vegetable.

Supports Heart Health
You can get a healthy serving of potassium from tomatoes.One medium tomato contains about the same amount of potassium as a banana.Potassium and sodium are both vital ingredients for heart function. Your heart needs these electrolytes so it can contract and expand, and potassium is essential for relaxing the blood vessels.

Most people with high blood pressure can benefit from the high potassium, fiber, and lycopene levels in tomatoes. These nutrients are all important, but several studies have linked lycopene to lower heart disease risk and mortality.

Supports Exercise Recovery
Tomatoes contain several electrolytes, which are essential for basic cell functioning. The potassium, sodium, magnesium, and fluoride in tomatoes may help decrease muscle soreness and exercise fatigue after a workout.Magnesium is vital for muscle contraction, so eating tomatoes before or after your workout can help replenish it.The water content in a tomato adds some extra hydration, too.The fruit is also anti-inflammatory thanks to vitamin C,which may also help support exercise recovery.

Helps Protect Against Dementia
Potassium helps power the heart and plays a role in nerve function throughout the body,one recent study found that people who consumed more potassium and less sodium had better cognitive function.

Cooked Tomatoes Helps Prevent Prostate Cancer
Cooking tomatoes may compromise the vitamin C content, but it increases the availability of several important antioxidants that may protect against cancer growth.Especially for men, lycopene is really beneficial to help reduce any prostate-related issues and can be really protective against getting cancer.

Helps In Balancing Blood Sugar
Tomatoes can help manage blood sugar in people with diabetes. Their fiber content helps regulate blood sugar and bowel movements. The fruit is also low glycemic, so it can be a good snack for avoiding a blood sugar spike and crash.Fiber just naturally slows digestion down, so it’s going to keep you fuller longer and it’s not going to negatively impact your blood sugar levels, which is something we want in cases of diabetes.

Promotes Healthy Skin, Hair, and Nail Growth
Tomatoes also contain chlorogenic acid, a compound that can help encourage collagen production.Vitamin C and A—both found in raw tomatoes—can help to brighten the appearance of skin, hair, and nails.

To get the skin benefits associated with tomatoes, you can eat them as a snack or in a salad.As tempting as a DIY tomato face mask or vitamin C supplements may sound, eating whole foods is the best way to absorb key nutrients.

Article By Suzy Nyongesa.