Yes. Tomatoes are surely keto–friendly because they contain 2–3 grams of net carbs per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), which is 10 times less than most fruit.
Tomatoes are slightly acidic tasting flesh, which is red and sometimes yellow. It is pulpy, naturally glossy, and eaten in many forms. Indeed, a very popular piece of food. How interesting that tomato is a fruit yet is eaten as a vegetable, used widely in salads. As a wild plant introduced by American tomatoes later became a thing worldwide.
Now there are thousands of varieties grown. They have grown to be the most liked crop internationally. They were first eaten by the tribes in Mexico in 700 AD and were not cultivated in Britain till the 1590s. Scientifically, tomatoes are from a family commonly known as the “nightshade family”. Potato, chili, and eggplants come from the same family. There are many varieties of tomatoes such as Roma, heirloom, cherry tomatoes, but the most common is “globe tomatoes”.
What Are The Benefits Of Tomato
Following are some of the benefits of tomatoes:
1- Weight Loss:
As an excellent addition to a diet, tomatoes are a versatile ingredient. The intake of tomatoes increases the levels of amino acids in the body, which leads to the burning of extra fat in the body.
A tomato will not only make you feel full, but it will also cut your calorie intake and help you lose weight by creating a calorie deficit. Both soluble and insoluble fibers contribute to weight loss. Low carb tomato juice can reduce your weight if you drink it twice a day.
2- Build immunity:
As an immense amount of vitamin C, these help you keep energized. Vitamin C in tomatoes helps strengthen the body’s immune system and prevents dirty germs from growing in the body. Actually, tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, a type of carotene. It has been shown that lycopene improves immune function and prevents certain types of cancer.
3- Easy Digestion:
Tomatoes help with life as well as your stomach. They are loaded with fibers that help overcome any sort of digestion issues. These are tomato seeds, which contain fibers and digestible amino acids.
Studies show that water-rich vegetables like tomatoes, celery, watercress, asparagus, cucumbers, bell pepper skins, and radishes digest in about 30 minutes.
4- Helps lower blood sugar:
Chromium is a mineral found in tomatoes. It regulates blood sugar levels. Hence, including it in your diet is a healthy choice.
Additionally, tomatoes that are fresh and whole have a low glycemic index (GI). The sugar released by low GI foods enters the bloodstream slowly and does not disrupt blood sugar levels.
Sugar, as it occurs naturally, is minimal in a serving. In diabetes meal plans, tomatoes are considered a non-starchy vegetable like carrots.
5- Helps smokers:
Very few people know that they help remove smoking traces from the lungs. As acids are present in them, they help our body to overcome the adverse effects of smoking on our lungs.
Diets rich in tomatoes and fruits have many health benefits, from reducing skin cancer risk to boosting the immune system.
In recent research, it is discovered that such foods might help ex-smokers regain lung function and slow down lung function decline in those who smoke.
In addition to their medical benefits, they contain lycopene, which some research suggests may prevent coronary illness.
Are Tomatoes Keto-Friendly
Yes, they are. They help in burning fat from our bodies. The question being answered is that tomatoes are diet-friendly, but does this make them keto-friendly?.
The above discussion provides a brief overview of tomatoes, added here.
- They have a low net carb count due to their fiber and water content.
- The antioxidant lycopene is abundant in tomatoes.
- Low in calories and carbs, tomatoes contain up to 10 times fewer net carbs than your average fruit.
- Tomatoes can be easily incorporated into a wide range of delicious low-carb recipes, particularly low-carb pasta meals.
- Furthermore, they are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients.
The ratio of net carbs in tomatoes is around 2-3 grams for 100 grams. Due to being low in carbs, tomatoes are keto-friendly, which most of the fruits are not.
Notably canned tomato products such as juices, sauces, puree contain added ingredients that may not fall into a ketogenic diet.
Carbs, Net Carbs And Other Nutritional Figures In Tomatoes
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), half a cup of tomatoes contains four grams of carbs and two grams of sugar.
The counts, however, differ a little based on the type of tomato. Because of this, we have listed almost all types of tomatoes and their nutritional values.
Interesting Facts About Tomatoes
- Tomatoes are native to South America; their Aztec name means plump thing with a navel.
- In the mid-15th century, they were first brought to Europe.
- Early European tomatoes were yellow, and Italian tomatoes are called Pomodoro or golden apples.
- Wolf Peach is the scientific name of tomato, Lycopersicon Lycopersicum.
- As part of the Tomatosphere I, II, III, and IV experiments, 600,000 tomato seeds traveled to the International Space Station and back before being grown in classrooms all over Canada.
- More than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes are available, from pink to purple to black to yellow to white.
- It was thought that tomatoes were poisonous because they are related to the deadly nightshade plant (belladonna).
- When tomatoes ripen, even after harvesting, they gain weight.
- Lycopene is an essential antioxidant for men’s prostate gland which is found in tomatoes.
- Tomatoes are fruits. For taxation purposes, they were defined as vegetables after the US Supreme Court ruled in the 1890s. In contrast, a fruit is the edible part of a plant containing seeds, while a vegetable is its stem, leaves, or roots.
Best Keto Tomato Soup Recipe
As a quality of low carb, tomatoes can be used as a versatile ingredient during the diet. Now let’s discuss a quick and delicious recipe for yummy tomato soup that is ketogenic-friendly:
Key Ingredients:
- 1 cup tomatoes chopped.
- 2 cloves garlic (Thinly chopped)
- Olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt,
Steps:
- Add tomatoes and garlic to a bowl, and mix
- After mixing them well, place them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes to bake.
- Put in a pot on the stove after baking the tomatoes.
- Blend the tomatoes in the pot.
- Add chicken broth to the mixture.
- Add mixed herbs, Sea salt, & black pepper.
- Mix well.
- Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add a splash of heavy cream and some freshly chopped basil to the mixture.
- Serve it in a bowl and enjoy.
Net carbs in tomatoes- wrapping up
Tomatoes help in burning fat from our bodies. Tomatoes contain less net carbs than many fruits and vegetables. Many yummy tomato recipes are there. Because of low carb, tomatoes are keto-friendly, which most of the fruits are not. They are very healthy to eat. As added figures in the above chart, we highly recommend adding them to your diet. One does not have to worry if they ate too many to destroy their body state of “ketosis”