Tomatoes ARE good for you!

~~~ Tomatoes for a Healthier You

You don't have to wait for summer to reap the benefits tomatoes provide! Red tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, an antioxidant similar to beta carotene. Studies have indicated that lycopene lowers your risk for many cancers; and canned tomatoes are just as good as fresh -- meaning no lycopene is lost. In fact, canned tomatoes match up nicely against fresh:

1/2 cup of canned tomatoes has 11.8 mg of lycopene, while 1 fresh, uncooked tomato has just 3.7 mg. CLICK HERE FOR MORE!

It's the heat processing that releases the lycopene. Red tomatoes have more lycopene, and cooking in a bit of olive oil helps to release the lycopene, and in turn the olive oil helps your body absorb the lycopene. The use of tomatoes in sauces is a tasty way to include tomatoes in your weekly menu; and Italian cuisine is famous for its many tomato sauces.

In our full story learn about the different tomato sauces from Italy:

-> Marinara
-> Amatriciana
-> Arrabbiata
-> Puttanesca
-> Vodka sauce