Tomatoes are an indispensable food, from adding it as a topping on French fries and sliders, to using it in salsa and making sandwiches – but did you know they’re fruits too?
People feared tomatoes to be toxic until the mid-1800s because they resembled plants containing deadly nightshade. Furthermore, tomatoes had a longstanding belief that eating them could turn people into werewolves.
Origin
Tomatoes are one of the world’s most beloved vegetables. A staple ingredient in many dishes, tomatoes are an easy vegetable crop for new gardeners to start cultivating and often go on to cultivate other crops as well. Tomatoes also boast many essential vitamins and nutrients including lutein and lycopene which may protect against eye disease; potassium for healthy heart and nerve function; as well as being one of the richest sources of antioxidants available today.
Although many associate the tomato with Italy, its origin lies in Peru. Exploration brought it to Mexico before traveling throughout Europe through travelers. Early Europeans believed tomatoes to be poisonous due to their similar appearance with mandrake plants that were considered dangerous; also rich people often used plates and flatware made of lead which caused its acid to react with it and release lead poisoning into food products.
The tomato was initially received with hostility in Southern Europe; however, as it moved north it met increased resistance. A 1597 herbal called them out as being of “ranke and stinking savour”. British colonists brought tomatoes over to America; however they weren’t widely appreciated until the 1800s.
Though technically a vegetable, tomatoes are commonly treated like fruits by chefs. Tomatoes make an ideal healthy snack due to being low in fat and packed with fiber; plus their water-dense composition makes them an excellent way to stay hydrated!
Today, tomatoes have become an indispensable component of many European and American dishes. From eating them on their own to using them as salad toppings or in soups or stews, as well as being an ingredient in drinks like juice, ketchup or tomato sauce; tomatoes can be found worldwide supermarkets though their production tends to peak between summer and fall in America.
Names
No matter if it is for food, condiment or sandwich making purposes – tomatoes remain a beloved summer fruit! Though most may consider them vegetables, technically tomatoes fall under the category of fruit since their ovary contains seeds which make up part of its fruitful properties.
The tomato’s name comes from the Aztec word tomatl and has had a colourful history. European aristocrats once thought eating tomatoes could cause them to turn into monsters every full moon and the tomato was even known as the “poison apple” during this time. But later it gained fame as an aphrodisiac; French people even gave it the moniker pomme d’amour or love apple!
There is an assortment of colors to consider when picking out your perfect tomato, each offering their own distinct taste and appearance. Cherry tomatoes resemble small grapes in appearance and size and typically feature red hues; other hues such as yellow, black and green may be available too. Cherry tomatoes can be found used for salads or salsa, according to Masterclass; plum tomatoes come in various shades and are generally larger than cherry varieties making them popular choices among home gardeners and home chefs.
Beefsteak tomatoes, grape tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes are among the many varieties of tomatoes available; other variations include beefsteak tomatoes (round and large in size); grape tomatoes resembling small grapes; yellow pear tomatoes that resemble pear shapes; and black cherry and deep burgundy ones known as cuore di bue (ox heart).
Heirloom tomatoes offer a vibrant splash of color and flavor to any diet, passing down through generations to be grown in small family gardens. Some popular heirloom varieties are Mortgage Lifter, Cherokee Purple and Aunt Ruby’s German Green; other notable varieties are Black Krim (a dark burgundy tomato from Ukraine with a complex, earthy flavor), Green Doctors and Green Zebra.
Nutrition
Tomatoes are packed with vital vitamins and minerals that make them an invaluable part of a balanced diet, providing us with essential lycopene (an antioxidant), vitamin C, potassium and folate. Plus, tomatoes are low-fat making them an ideal addition to any menu plan!
Tomato plants are very easy to cultivate at home. You don’t require special soil conditions – any kind of soil will do – just some watering and perhaps adding fertilizer will boost their success even more.
Once it gets warmer, your plants will start growing faster and producing more fruits – in about 65-90 days, your harvest should be ready!
Once tomatoes are fully ripe, their sweet and delicious flavor emerges. Enjoy them raw or use them in recipes; tomatoes also make for great ingredients in sauces and salad dressings like ketchup, salsa and spaghetti sauce!
The word ‘tomato’ originates in Aztec; first introduced into Europe by Hernan Cortes’ conquest of Peru. They appeared yellow rather than red when found there by explorers.
Modern tomato plants have evolved significantly since Andean people cultivated tiny pea-sized varieties as part of their farming methods, with over 25,000 unique kinds available now.
Tomatoes stand out among food products as having an especially high concentration of antioxidants compared to others, fighting free radicals responsible for cell damage and disease. Lycopene, one of the strongest antioxidants present in tomatoes, has been shown to protect against both heart disease and cancer.
Tomatoes are an abundant source of vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, vitamin C, potassium and vitamin K. In addition to being packed full of essential vitamins and minerals, tomatoes provide fiber and phytonutrients such as the flavonoid naringenin which has been known to lower blood pressure while chlorogenic acid reduces inflammation within the body.
Tomatoes have proven their resilience in space and have become one of the most widely grown plants aboard the International Space Station. Over 600,000 tomato seeds were sent into space as part of the Tomatosphere experiment before later being planted at schools throughout Canada as part of the Tomatosphere experiment.
Cultivation
Tomatoes are one of the most widely grown homegrown vegetables in America. This may be because tomatoes are easy to cultivate and delicious when eaten fresh in salads or cooked into various recipes. Tomatoes also boast being one of the highest water-dense foods available, helping people stay hydrated throughout their day.
Tomatoes may seem synonymous with Italy, but their origin can actually be found in Peru’s South American Andes region and was first cultivated by Aztecs and Incas before making their way across to Mexico and Central America where it eventually became part of indigenous populations’ diets before finally making its way back into Europe via European explorers in the 1700s.
Tomato plants require full sun to achieve optimal fruit development. When selecting an area to plant tomatoes, at least seven hours of direct sunlight each day is necessary – south facing locations are best. Tomatoes grown in partial shade or exposed to too much wind may not grow as efficiently and may even become susceptible to disease.
Gardeners should strive to cultivate heirloom varieties of tomato as these tend to be more disease-resistant and offer superior flavor than grocery store varieties. Furthermore, gardeners should keep tomatoes healthy by regularly pruning away dead leaves and stems so they can put all their energy towards producing delicious fruit!
Pests that threaten tomatoes include hornworms and squash bugs. Neem oil, an organic insecticide found at most hardware stores, provides effective protection from such harmful insects while organic tomatoes may produce stress-resistance compounds and nutrients like lycopene that provide additional defenses against insect attack – these provide another layer of defense.
Tomatoes, like cucumbers, peppers and summer squashes are botanically classified as fruits; however, in the United States they were officially designated vegetables by the Supreme Court case Nix v Hedden due to tariff laws which levied duties only on vegetables rather than fruits.