Honestly, if it's not summer, I don't give tomatoes a second thought (unless it's the canned variety that's being used for a recipe), because is a tomato even worth it when it's out of season? I say "no", but to each their own because when it's summertime you can find me eating all the tomatoes. Hitting both sweet and savory notes, tomatoes have flipped and flopped leaving us to debate whether they belong in the fruit or vegetable category. But all debates aside, a perfectly ripe, freshly picked, late summer tomato is something irresistible. So while the tomatoes are still ripe and in season, let's take a glance at what tomatoes offer up for our summer bods…
Great source of vitamins and minerals - … and lots of them. We're talking vitamin C for immunity, vitamin A for vision and skin health, vitamin K for your bones and potassium for heart and muscle function, as well as blood pressure regulation.
Lycopene - probably the most notable antioxidant a tomato boasts because it's what gives them their beautiful color. Lycopene has been scientifically tied to heart health including heart disease and diabetes prevention.
Nourish the gut - the combination of water and fiber content in the tomato help keep things moving in your digestive tract and make for a healthy gut.
Vision protection - lycopene and vitamin A are both good for your eyes and tomatoes have additional nutrients, lutein and beta-carotene, that help support vision and protect against the development of more serious eye conditions.
In case you needed another reason to run out to the farmer's market and grab a container of tomatoes, here's a couple amazing looking recipes to try.
Heirloom BLT Salad - Cookie + Katie
Ultimate Caprese Salad - Healthyish
Tomatoes with Garlicky White Sauce - Bon Appetit
Pan con Tomate - The Defined Dish
Roasted Red Peppers and Cherry Tomatoes with Ricotta - Healthyish
