Indian Spices

Red color is the center of attraction in most of the cases. And something that is edible and red in color is rare. Small round shaped and red in color needed for cooking purpose? Of course it’s a tomato. A tomato has many varieties but used in most parts of the world as an edible item in food or else is eaten raw in regards of salads and others. But very few of us know the usefulness and the origin of this edible item. The tomato is native to the Andean region of South America and was under cultivation in Peru in the sixteenth century and the people of England and Netherlands were eating and enjoying the tomatoes too.

By cultivation and use, the tomato is a vegetable, botanically it is a fruit and can be classified as a berry as it is pulpy and is containing one or more seeds that are not stones. It is considered as a citric acid fruit but do contain some proportions of oxalic acid too. Tomatoes are best when combined with proteins. Tomatoes are used as both fruit and vegetable in salad. Mainly tomato is used for giving color to a recipe. Second most use of tomato is the canned juice or the tomato puree that is mostly used as it is greatly preferred. Puree contains more vitamins and minerals.

The tomato is not acid forming, though it contains a great deal of citric acid still it is alkaline forming as it enters bloodstream. It increases the alkalinity of the blood and helps in removing toxins, especially uric acid, from the system. Another important benefit of tomato is it acts as a liver cleanser which helps in increasing the digestive capacity of a human being.

Some unknown and useful facts about tomato:

. Tomatoes are used as poultice in various sanitariums in Europe as various conditions in the body.

. People suffering from arthritics and gout are mistaken not to intake tomato but this is wrong. Tomato juice should be mixed with other vegetables and then taken to avoid a reaction that may be too strong.

. A tomato poultice is the best to remove stagnation in blood. It acts as a dissolving agent or solvent.

. It has a high vitamin value so normal diets can involve it.

Thus, tomato is a useful item as it serves many purposes.