Eating tomato and tomato products can make you healthier and possibly lower the risks of heart disease, osteoporosis and skin damage, according to an article published in the March/April issue of the "American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine." Tomato purees, which are quickly cooked and strained of pulp and seeds, are not as thick as paste and do not have the additives added to tomato sauce. Tomato puree provides the same health and nutritional benefits as tomato paste or fresh tomatoes.
Calories and Macronutrients
One cup of canned tomato puree without salt contains 95 calories, including 4 grams of protein, 22 grams of carbohydrate and 1/2 gram of fat. Most of the sugar content from tomato puree comes from glucose and fructose, which are simple sugars providing a quick boost of energy. A cup of tomato puree also contains 4.8 grams of total dietary fiber, equivalent to 19 percent of the daily value recommended in a 2,000-calorie diet.
Vitamins
Tomato is an excellent source of vitamin C, and a cup of tomato puree contains 26 milligrams or equivalent to half of your total daily needs for vitamin C. Tomato puree is also rich in other vitamins. The same serving provides 1,275 international units of vitamin A, about one-fifth of your daily needs. It also supplies 18 percent of your daily needs for niacin, 17 percent for vitamin E, 10 percent for vitamin K and 7 percent for folate.
Minerals
Tomato puree is a good source of essential dietary minerals, including 31 percent of the daily value, about 1,100 milligrams, of potassium per cup. This serving of tomato puree also provides 4.5 milligrams of iron, equivalent to 25 percent of your daily needs. Also, it contains 15 percent of your daily needs for magnesium, 10 percent of your daily needs for phosphorus and only 1 percent of sodium in the unsalted variety.
Lycopene
Tomato is the most significant source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that becomes more potent after cooking and processing. One cup of tomato puree contains 54 milligrams of lycopene, compared to 9 milligrams in raw tomatoes, according to the article in the "American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine." Lycopene may lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. However, the report notes that eating tomatoes is nutritionally better than simply taking lycopene supplements as other nutrients found in tomatoes add to its health benefit.
References
- "American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine"; Tomato Consumption and Health: Emerging Benefits; Britt Burton-Freeman, Ph.D., et al.; March/April 2011
- OChef: Tomato Puree, Paste & Sauce Defined
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Tomato Products, Canned, Puree, Without Salt Added
- MayoClinic.com; What Does Percent Daily Value Mean on Food Labels?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; May 2010
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