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“The Chosen Weight Loss Fruit”: Eat as much as you want without worrying about gaining weight!
Cherry tomatoes can be called “the chosen weight loss fruit” and are a favorite fruit of many dieters. This small red fruit looks ordinary, but it contains rich nutrients. What are the unique nutritional values? Is the difference between it and ordinary tomatoes only in size?
01. Low-Calorie, High-Fiber “Weight Loss Golden Fruit”
Although cherry tomatoes are classified as vegetables in the food composition table, they actually have many characteristics of fruits.
Low in Calories and High in Satiety
When losing weight, calorie control is a top priority. Cherry tomatoes are simply “king-level” in this regard. According to data from the “China Food Composition Table (Standard Edition)”, every 100 grams of cherry tomatoes contains only 25 calories.
Compared with the calories contained in every 100 grams of common fruits: grapes are 45 calories, apples are 53 calories, bananas are 93 calories, and fresh dates are as high as 125 calories. The gap is clear at a glance.
Moreover, cherry tomatoes are rich in dietary fiber, with 2.1 grams per 100 grams. Dietary fiber can increase satiety, allowing you to reduce your desire for other high-calorie foods. Eating a few cherry tomatoes can instantly reduce hunger. The calories in one catty of cherry tomatoes are about the same as those in a bowl of rice (100 grams, 116 calories).
Cherry tomatoes are also a blood sugar-friendly fruit. The glycemic index of tomatoes is only 15. Although there is no official data for cherry tomatoes, the sugar content is only about 3.5%, which is lower than most fruits.
Versatile Eating Scenarios
There are many ways to eat cherry tomatoes:
- Grab a handful of cherry tomatoes as a snack, which is convenient and healthy, and can relieve hunger in time without disrupting your weight loss diet rhythm.
- Adding some cherry tomatoes to a salad can greatly increase appetite and make the nutrition richer.
- Adding a few cherry tomatoes when cooking soup can enrich the taste and expand the nutritional dimensions.
Excellent Nutrition and Strong Antioxidant Capacity
Cherry tomatoes are also a source of vitamin C. Every 100 grams of cherry tomatoes contains about 33 milligrams of vitamin C, which is as much as oranges. Vitamin C has strong antioxidant capacity, which can help the body clear free radicals, reduce the damage of free radicals to cells, and delay aging.
Cherry tomatoes are also rich in lycopene, with a lycopene content of 811 micrograms/gram. Lycopene is a carotenoid, although it cannot be converted into vitamin A in the body like other carotenoids, it also has antioxidant effects. It helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, is also good for prostate health, and can prevent various cancers.
02. What is the relationship between cherry tomatoes and tomatoes?
From the appearance and taste, cherry tomatoes look like small tomatoes. Is this actually the case?
Cherry tomatoes are a type of tomato
The scientific name of cherry tomatoes in China is cherry tomato, which is a variety of tomato. In foreign countries, cherry tomatoes are further divided into cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, plum tomatoes, etc. according to their shape. These names correspond to the volume and shape of the fruits similar to them.
Cherry tomatoes originated in South America. After careful artificial cultivation and selection, they have become a common fruit-type tomato variety. Ordinary tomatoes are more often grown as vegetable varieties. Although both are tomatoes, their appearance and uses are slightly different.
Similar Nutritional Values with Different Focuses
From the perspective of nutritional components, cherry tomatoes and tomatoes are generally similar, but the content is slightly different.
Cherry tomatoes have a higher sugar content than tomatoes, so they also have higher calories. As mentioned above, cherry tomatoes have a relatively higher vitamin C content, with 33 milligrams per 100 grams, which is 2.4 times that of tomatoes. In addition, cherry tomatoes are also better in terms of potassium and lycopene content.
Different Tastes and Eating Methods
In terms of taste, cherry tomatoes are sweet and juicy; ordinary tomatoes are relatively sour and have thicker flesh.
In terms of eating methods, cherry tomatoes can be eaten directly as a fruit, and are often found in salads or Western dishes such as pasta; ordinary tomatoes are mostly used to cook dishes, such as scrambled eggs with tomatoes and tomato soup.
03. What is the difference between cherry tomatoes of different colors?
Many people have seen cherry tomatoes in red, yellow, green, brown and other colors when they go to the farmers market and supermarkets. Are these colorful cherry tomatoes such as Huanghua Sheng, Millennium, Linglong, Lover’s String, Qing Sweet, Tang Bohu, and Sunshine very different?
First, let’s take a look at this set of data↓
[Image: A table showing the vitamin C and lycopene content of different colored cherry tomatoes.]
There are large differences in the nutrition of cherry tomatoes of different colors, and there are also some differences in taste:
- Red: Highest in Lycopene Red cherry tomatoes are the most common and have the highest lycopene content, making them excellent in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In terms of taste, there are large differences between different varieties. Most varieties have a sour taste greater than sweetness, which is suitable for friends who like sourness.
- Green: Highest in Vitamin C Green cherry tomatoes have the highest vitamin C content. Vitamin C can promote the synthesis of collagen and maintain the elasticity of blood vessels. It tastes refreshing, slightly sweet, not very tomatoey, and has a mild sourness, making it suitable for friends who don’t like sourness.
- Brown: Highest in Potassium, Also High in Vitamin C Brown cherry tomatoes have the highest potassium content and are also high in vitamin C, making them highly nutritious overall. However, the taste is not good, with low sweetness and sourness.
- Yellow: High in Soluble Sugar Yellow cherry tomatoes have the highest soluble sugar content, so they taste sweeter than red cherry tomatoes, with a mild sourness and a soft taste, making them suitable for friends who like sweets.
04. How is it better to eat cherry tomatoes?
- Daily Consumption: 10-15 It is recommended that adults eat 200-350 grams of fruit per day. Cherry tomatoes are low in calories and high in nutrition. It is more appropriate to eat 10-15 per day, which can supplement nutrition without consuming too much to affect the intake of other foods.
- Cooking Suggestions: Keep it Simple Washing and eating cherry tomatoes directly results in less nutrient loss and can retain vitamin C and other nutrients to the greatest extent. Heating it slightly and adding some oil can also promote the absorption of lycopene. You can also make cherry tomato egg soup, which is nutritious and delicious.
- Purchase and Storage: Fresh is Paramount When purchasing cherry tomatoes, choose those with round shapes, bright colors, and smooth skin without spots or black marks. Those with stems and fresh ones indicate that the picking time is short and they are fresher. When storing, if they are relatively ripe, it is best to refrigerate them in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2-4°C, which can be stored for 3-5 days. If they are relatively hard, they can be stored at room temperature and will continue to ripen. It is best to put them in a cool and ventilated place.
In short, cherry tomatoes are low in calories and high in nutrition. When losing weight, instead of starving yourself and counting calories, it is better to grab a handful of cherry tomatoes to relieve gluttony and resist hunger.
