The tomato originated in Central and South America but was brought to Italy in the 1500s. It was initially used as an ornamental plant but was later cultivated for food. Italy developed many unique tomato varieties and is now the second largest tomato producer in the world and biggest exporter of tomato products. Tomatoes are very nutritious and contain antioxidants like lycopene that are beneficial for heart and cancer prevention. They are a key ingredient in Italian cuisine.

1. A superfood from Italy
The Tomato

2. The tomato is originating
from the area of Central
America, South America
and the southern part of
North America, the area
including Mexico and Peru
today .
The Aztecs called it
"xitomatl", usually juicy.
The tomato sauce became
an integral part of Aztec
cuisine.
In the south of Italy it was
called “pomo d’oro” (apple
of gold) and its actual
name is pomodoro.

3. HISTORY
The date is 1540 when the Spanish Hernán Cortés returned home and brought
some of them ; but its cultivation dates back to the second half of the
seventeenth century.
The history of tomatoes in Italy dates back to 31 October 1548 when the house
steward of Cosimo de’ Medici, the grand duke of Tuscany , wrote to the Medici
private secretary informing him that the basket of tomatoes sent from the grand
duke's Florentine estate "had arrived safely” .
Initially it was thought that it was a poisonous plant and was adopted together
with the potato, as a decorative plant. When the Spanish doctor and botanist
Nicolas Monardes Alfaro planted some tomatoes grow in his garden ,he
understood it was a cultivation with healing properties.
Only later,in Italy because of finding favorable climatic conditions in the south of
the country,it was cultivated and there is a colour change from the original gold
colour which becomes red. It is cultivated in Puglia, Campania, Calabria and
Sicilia.

4. In Italy unique varieties are grown : the Pomodorino del Piennolo del
Vesuvio,the Fiaschella,the Lampadina, San Marzano, Borgo Cellano,
Costoluto Genovese, and Italian Pear. These tomatoes are characterized by
relative intense flavour compared to varieties typically grown elsewhere.The
tomato is farmed and exported all over the world , more than 50 million
tonnes are cultivated by USA, Italy, China and Turkey; Italy is the World's
second biggest producer of tomatoes after the United States and the biggest
exporting country of tomato based products.
In 2014 Italy produced 5,131,000 tonnes of tomatoes .

5. Italy has a long tradition in the production of preserved tomatoes .
The tomato is an Italian legacy of genius.
The very first entrepreneur was Francesco Cirio who took the world by
storm and exported the intense flavours of the tomato and vegetables from
the South of Italy. From the “red gold” tomatoes the following products are
obtained:
peeled (plum tomatoes): plum shaped tomatoes in juice with
added salt;
sieved tomatoes: fresh tomatoes, sieved and slightly cooked to reduce the
water content;
chopped tomatoes: fresh round variety tomatoes – peeled and
chopped into pieces;
tomato purée: concentrated tomato juice that can be single, double or
triple concentrate;
sauces: finely chopped tomato pulp with added ingredients: olive oil,
herbs and spices, vegetables, meat, etc.
In Italy we have thousands of ways of cooking tomatoes:from the salad to
the sauce, from the baked ones to the stuffed ones .

6. HEALTHY PROPERTIES
All green parts of the plant are toxic, because they contain solanine, a
glicoalcaloide steroidal that is not eliminated even by means of the
normal cooking processes; for this reason, the stem and the leaves are
NOT used for food.
The green-red tomato for salad is actually the beginning of maturation
and contains a quantity of solanine well below the completely immature
green fruit, where the content of solanine may exceed 50 mg / 100 g
fresh weight. and it is very tasty.

7. The ripe fruit ( RED) is rich in nutrients although low calories, and is
commonly used for food, in salads or as an ingredient in sauces and cooked
dishes, such as pizza,juice or tomato centrifuged, because is rich in lycopene,
an antioxidant that plays a certain protective function against the risk of
prostate cancer.
Tomato juice is also, with the addition of vodka, Tabasco, lemon, salt and
pepper, the basis for a Bloody Mary cocktail usually served as an aperitif.
Although tomatoes originated in the Americas, they are extensively used in
Mediterranean cuisine. They are a key ingredient in pizza, and in pasta
sauces.The tomato is an excellent vegetable for culinary purposes, because of
its savory flavour.

8. The tomatoes facilitate the digestion of foods rich in starch such as pasta,
rice, potatoes, and help to remove excess protein resulting from a diet too
rich in meat. Thanks to the sour taste, tomato stimulates secretions of the
digestive system and promotes good assimilation of what has been eaten.
As we know the tomato is one of the basic ingredients of the
Mediterranean diet; some researchers at the Medicine School of the
University of Athens , through a targeted survey, found out that people
who follow the Mediterranean diet for years, have a mortality rate lower
than the average as regards heart disease and cancer.
Even new mothers that include tomatoes in their diet get benefits for their
children, because their breast milk is richer in lycopene than those who do
not eat tomato.
The tomato contains Zeaxanthin, a substance with antioxidant properties
that can be healthy for the eyes, especially in old people; it seems that this
substance can filter out harmful ultraviolet rays.

9. NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES
The tomatoes are full of vitamins, including vitamins A,C and E; they also
contain flavonoids (natural anti-inflammatories), potassium, iron , zinc ,
selenium , phosphorus and calcium associated with citrate , tartrate and
nitrates act in synergy to ensure re-mineralizing and anti-radical properties .
• Tomatoes are rich in water , which constitutes more than 94 % ;
carbohydrates represent almost 3 % , the proteins are calculated about 1.2
% , the fibers 1% and fat represents only 0.2 % . For this reason , one
hundred grams of fresh tomato gives only 17 Kcal
• Much of the interest in tomatoes has been due to the antioxidant lycopene –
which helps to mop up damaging free radicals in the body that can harm our
cells.Lycopene may help to ward against different types of tumours,and it
could boost the skins ability to protect itself against UV rays. The Lycopene
gives the red colour to the tomato .

10. Some researches have demonstrated that the best way to get lycopene for
man is cooking the tomato and turning it into gravy or sauce : in this way it
enhances its antioxidant power.
As shown in a study published on the International Journal of Cancer , into a
weekly diet we must usually include a dish made of tomato, such as pasta or
pizza , it reduces considerably the risk of cancer of the digestive system .
How can I add it to my diet ?
• We should eat tomatoes as sauce once a week, have a pizza , and eat them as
a salad in summer or as” bruschetta” .
How many Tomatoes is recommended to consume ?

11. Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 74 kJ (18 kcal)
Carbohydrates 3.9 g
Sugars 2.6 g
Dietary fiber 1.2 g
Fat 0.2 g
Protein 0.9 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv.
beta-carotene
lutein zeaxanthin
(5%)
42 μg
(4%) 449 μg -123
μg
Thiamine (B1) (3%)
0.037 mg
Niacin (B3) (4%)
0.594 mg
Vitamin B6 (6%)
0.08 mg
Vitamin C (17%)
14 mg
Vitamin E (4%)
0.54 mg
Vitamin K (8%)
7.9 μg
Minerals
Magnesium (3%)
11 mg
Manganese (5%)
0.114 mg
Phosphorus (3%)
24 mg
Potassium (5%)
237 mg
Other constituents
Water 94.5 g
Lycopene 2573 µg

12. Interesting Facts
1 - Tomato in cosmetics
The properties of the tomato are also exploited in cosmetics : for example , by
applying on the hands skin a compound prepared by mixing tomato juice with
glycerine and salt, the hands will become soft and smooth . Besides, many
beauty masks are formulated with extracts of tomato , useful for
its nourishing, firming and toning properties .
Finally , also to alleviate acne the application of a cream prepared with
tomato is recommended.
2- After the potato , the tomato is the most widely cultivated vegetable in the
world.
Its production reaches the 18% of the horticultural world in tonnes.
3- The tomato is an excellent stain remover; if you try to rub some ripe
tomato pulp against a pan containing hard stains to ,be removed ,you can
see the spots cleaned !!