It’s peak tomato season in many areas so it’s a good bet your kitchen is being taken over by an abundance of vine-ripened tomatoes. Whether from your local organic co-op, backyard garden or local grocery store, these beauties are in search of a great recipe.
Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables in the typical American diet, so it’s likely tomato-based foods are also making a regular appearance at your family meals. If not, now is a great time to rethink adding more to your child’s daily plate.
The power of red
Like many vegetables, tomatoes are a good source of nutrients that nourish a child’s growing body and active brain—beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium, just to name few. It’s also the richest dietary source of one especially amazing plant nutrient: Lycopene.
Lycopene is a red pigment found in tomatoes. It belongs to the carotenoid family of plant compounds. While lycopene gives tomatoes their bright red color, its main benefit is as a powerful antioxidant. This means it helps protect your child’s cells from harmful free radicals.
Easy to grow, easier to eat
If soup is on your list of favorite tomato-based recipes, then garden-fresh tomatoes are a must. Not only do they provide organic benefits (fewer pesticides are always a good thing), they also capture that just-off-the-vine earthy fragrance that adds a flavor punch to just about any recipe. And, tomatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow in the garden … second only to zucchini.
To save time in the kitchen, consider using a high-speed blender like Vitamix or BlendTec. These powerful blenders are easy to clean and can be conveniently stored. Simply slice and dice ingredients and toss into the blender for a 90-second cycle that purees and heats the soup.
It all adds up
Tomatoes are wonderfully versatile, so it’s easy to add more to your child’s diet. Add fresh tomato slices to a sandwich, toss into a salad, serve in a pasta sauce, pour a glass of juice, or start a family dinner with a warm bowl of soup. Even a few squirts ketchup can boost your child’s lycopene intake. It all adds up to protective health benefits for a growing body and active brain.
Nutrition nugget
Fresh, raw tomatoes contain a good amount of lycopene (over 3 milligrams per medium-sized tomato). However, cooking transforms the lycopene in tomatoes into a form the body can more readily absorb.
So go on, slice, dice, and savor the juicy adventure that tomatoes bring to your plate.
The EatingFor Team