Tomatoes

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a vegetable/botanical fruit, or specifically, a berry (but not a fruit as ordinary people use the word).

Tomatoes are shiny and smooth with many small seeds. They are very good for health. Most tomatoes are red, but are green when unripe. They slowly change color from green to red as they get ripe, and as they get ripe they get bigger and bigger. There are many different types of tomatoes. Some kinds of tomato are yellow or orange when they are ripe. Tomatoes are used a lot in Italian food. They are also used to make ketchup. Tomatoes are called fruit, because they contain seeds. Tomato seeds get spread around by being eaten by animals. After being eaten the seeds pass through the animal’s digestive system. Although tomatoes are really fruits, many people call them vegetables and treat them like vegetables when they cook. Tomatoes are a savory product.

History

The tomato is native to western South America. Wild versions were small, like cherry tomatoes, and most likely yellow instead of red. The Spanish first introduced tomatoes to Europe, where they became used in Spanish and Italian food. The French and northern Europeans wrongly thought that they were poisonous as they are a member of the deadly nightshade family. The leaves and immature fruit contains tomatine, which in large amounts would be toxic. However, the ripe fruit contains no tomatine.

As food

The tomato is grown and eaten around the world. It is used in many ways, such as raw in salads or in slices, stewed, a part of a wide variety of dishes, or processed into ketchup or tomato soup. Unripe green tomatoes can also be breaded and fried, used to make salsa, or pickled. Tomato juice is sold as a drink, and is used in cocktails such as the Bloody Mary.

Tomatoes contain many nutrients but is highest in vitamin C and potassium. A medium tomato contains approximately 15 grams of vitamin C and 290 grams of potassium.