Vitamins And Minerals You Can Get From Tomatoes

Scientifically, tomatoes are the fruit of tomato plants, according to Oxford Dictionaries. Because cooks use tomatoes to add an agreeable seasoned flavor to foods, rather than sweetness, tomatoes are considered to be vegetables. If fresh, ripe tomatoes are unavailable, it is preferable to use tomato puree, rather than canned tomatoes or tomato juice, as stated in Health-Care-Clinic.org. Puree contains more vitamins and minerals than either canned tomatoes or juice.

Vitamin C

One medium whole tomato contains about 16 mg, or 26 percent of your daily value, of vitamin C based on a 2,000-calorie diet, as reported by Fruits Nutrition Facts and Chart. Tomatoes can lose anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of their vitamin C if you cook them, according to Indiana Public Media.

Vitamin A

Tomatoes are classified as a good dietary source of vitamin A, according to Genetics.org. The vitamin A in tomatoes occurs as beta-carotene. One medium whole tomato contains about 1,025 international units, or IU, of vitamin A, or 20 percent of your daily value for vitamin A. Beta-carotene provides about 5 percent of the carotene found in tomatoes.

Lycopene

Lycopene is a carotenoid and an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect you from developing cancer. Lycopene provides about 95 percent of the carotene in tomatoes. Lycopene gives tomatoes their red color and lowers your risk of heart disease and prostate cancer risk, says the University of Minnesota. When you cook tomatoes, their lycopene level greatly increases. Tomato sauce is a rich source of lycopene.

Additional Vitamins and Minerals

One fresh, medium-size tomato provides you with about 12 percent of your daily value for vitamin K and about 5 percent of your daily value for vitamin B6. It also provides smaller amounts of vitamin E and the B vitamins thiamine, niacin and folate. A fresh, medium-size tomato contains about 8 percent of your daily value for potassium and about 7 percent of your daily value for manganese. Tomatoes also offer you lesser amounts of copper, phosphorus and magnesium.