The Tomato- The World's Most Popular and Healthiest Fruit (Vegetable?)

Fruit...vegetable...fruit...vegetable...and the debate goes on and on and on. Are tomatoes fruit or vegetable? Now, it can be told. Just like the pumpkin and the brinjal, tomato is a fruit, botanically speaking, and not a vegetable. However, if you insist that it's a vegetable or a fruit, there is only one thing that all people will agree regarding tomatoes, they are one of the healthiest bunch of fruit (vegetable) that is made available for man ever since the dawn of time. Today, more than 70 million tons of tomatoes are produced annually and they are even 16 million tons more than banana, the second most popular fruit ( and this is definitely a fruit!) Next in line are the apples, then, oranges and then, watermelons.

If you are speaking in botanical terms, it's really indeed a fruit. The French call it "the apple of love" and the Germans "the apple of paradise". There are even some who said that the apple mentioned in Genesis is actually a tomato.

So, why are tomatoes the most popular and healthiest fruit (vegetable)? First and foremost, they are rich in Vitamins A and C and they are cholesterol-free. Because of the its high content of lycopene, tomato is regarded to be a great help in preventing cancer. Lycopene is what makes the tomatoes red. Lycopene is a part of the family of pigments known as carotenoids, compounds that make up the colors of fruits and vegetables. Because of the high content of carotenoids, lycopene makes the tomato become the sentinel of our bodies, always on guard for cancer cells that might come and do harm. We know for a fact that cancer is one of the most devastating health problems known to man and that's why, everyone is encouraged to eat tomatoes and/or tomato-based food. This is the reason why I want to have tomatoes all the time whether cooked or raw. But experts say that cooked tomatoes has higher concentrations of lycopene compared to non-cooked tomatoes.

I always see to it that whenever I go out with my wife for groceries, we can buy a whole bunch of these fruits (vegetables). My wife loves to cook Italian pasta dishes for all of us and I just love to drink tomato juice whenever I could. I don't buy them from cans, however, but I make tomato juice from freshly-squeezed tomatoes. But....

But these days, it seems that these lovely and healthy fruits (vegetables) are getting expensive. The producers of tomatoes have seen the rising demand for these healthy gems. So, naturally, just like any other businessmen, they jacked up the prices of their produce. As consumer, we can’t do anything about it, right? Wrong. There is something we can do. Have you thought about learning how to grow tomatoes right in your own garden, in your backyard or in your patio? This is one idea that has been going through my mind. We have a vast vacant area at the back of our house and we need to use that area for a good purpose and planting tomatoes might be a bright idea.

How about you? Do you have any idea on how to grow your own tomatoes and let them grown naturally and healthy? If you have any ideas, why not write your comment below and share it with us? We'll be happy to know some of your ideas in growing your own tomatoes!