The tomato is a highly nutritious food that contains large amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant phytochemicals. Foods containing processed tomatoes, such as tomato soup, often have more highly concentrated levels of these beneficial compounds. Eating tomato soup can be beneficial for several health conditions. As with any health food, consult your doctor before radically changing your diet to include more tomato soup.
Cancer
Tomatoes contain high levels of carotenoids, a type of antioxidant molecule. Antioxidants protect cells in the body from damage caused by oxidative free radicals. In particular, tomatoes are one of the richest sources of a carotenoid called lycopene. Lycopene can lower the risk of certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the prostate gland, stomach and lung, according to an article published in the "Journal of the National Cancer Institute" in 1999. Lycopene may also lower the risk of cancers of the breast, pancreas, esophagus, colon, cervix and oral cavity, although the evidence is not as strong.
Heart Disease
Tomatoes and the lycopene they contain may also have beneficial effects for heart disease. Daily intake of tomato extract can lead to a significant decrease in blood pressure in patients diagnosed with high blood pressure, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. Lycopene also may lower plaque deposits and decrease the risk of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, a major contributing factor to heart disease. Lycopene may provide beneficial effects on cholesterol levels by lowering levels of bad cholesterol and raising levels of good cholesterol, although additional large-scale studies are required to confirm these results.
Absorption of Lycopene
Lycopene is a fat-soluble molecule, meaning it dissolves in fats and oils better that in water. Processing tomatoes into tomato paste used to make soup has the effect of concentrating the levels of lycopene. Serving tomatoes in a soup that also contains oil or cream can increase absorption of lycopene and other fat-soluble molecule because the lycopene is carried into the body dissolved in the fats found in oil and cream.
Vitamins and Minerals
Tomatoes contain high levels of vitamins A, C, E and K and the B-complex vitamins. Magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper and chromium are also abundant in tomatoes. In addition, tomatoes provide a high dose of fiber with a low number of calories.
References
- "Journal of the National Cancer Institute"; Tomatoes, Tomato-based Products, Lycopene, and Cancer: Review of the Epidemiologic Literature; Edward Giovannucci; February 1999
- USDA; About Tomatoes and Lycopene; Lin Yan
- Ohio State University Extension; Chow Line: Tomatoes Loaded With Health Benefits; Martha Filipic; August 2009
- Vitamins-Minerals-Supplements.org: Tomato - Health Benefits of Sweet Tomato
- "International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition"; The Effects of Tomato Consumption on Serum Glucose, Apolipoprotein B, Apolipoprotein A-I, Homocysteine and Blood Pressure in Type 2 Diabetic Patients; Farzad Shidfar, et al.; December 2010
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