Are Tomatoes Bad For You?
Short answer
Tomatoes are great for you. Be sure to eat the skin as well, as the skin contains many essential nutrients.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
A member of the nightshade family and once thought to be deadly, tomatoes are now one of the most common fruits in the United States. While seemingly most things that are popular are bad for you, such is not the case with tomatoes, which has a host of benefits. One of the most important benefits stares you right in the face every time you look at a tomato. The skin is full of a carotenoid called lycopene. Lycopene, responsible for giving bright red tomatoes their color, is a powerful antioxidant that is good for the skin and more importantly helps immune cells fight off dangerous free radicals that cause various forms of cancer. In fact, tomatoes contain all of the major carotenoids, the others being alpha- and beta-carotene and lutein). Also present is the flavonol zeaxanthin, which, along with vitamin A, helps protect eyes from age-related macular degeneration. Vitamin A also interacts with lycopene to help reduce asthma symptoms that result from exercise.
For diabetics, tomatoes are an especially important source of chromium, which has been found to help keep blood glucose levels in check. Other vitamins found in tomatoes include B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin E. Also of importance is the fact that tomatoes contain potassium in abundance.
Cigarette smokers would do well to eat tomatoes regularly as well. Tomatoes contain coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid, which have been shown by studies to repair damage done by smoking. Tomatoes are also effective in helping prevent heart disease. One of the key factors in this is the tomato having salicylates, which have an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
One last interesting fact about tomatoes is that a study done on rats showed there is a level of cooperation between tomatoes and broccoli. When the rats were fed a powder of broccoli and tomato mixed together, a reduced risk of prostate cancer was discovered.
Possible short-term side effects
Benefits
- protects against heart disease
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protects against cancer
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promotes healthy skin
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promotes hair health
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regulates blood sugar
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helps repair "smoker's lung"
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protects eyes
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reduces risk of kidney stones
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helps prevent asthma
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Written by Jeff Volling
Published on: 12-28-2015
Last updated: 12-10-2016
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Jeff Volling
Published on: 12-28-2015
Last updated: 12-10-2016
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