I’m not a huge tomato fan but I do think they are important to have your diet and below are just a few of the reasons why you should incorporate them into your daily eating.

Reduction in Heart Disease Risk
Tomatoes are a very good source of potassium and a good source of niacin, vitamin B6, and folate. Niacin has been used for years as a safe way to lower high cholesterol levels. Diets rich in potassium have been shown to lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Diets Rich in Tomato Products Significantly Improve Cholesterol

A high dietary intake of tomato products significantly reduced total and LDL cholesterol levels. While drinking 13.5 ounces of plain tomato juice every day may seem a bit challenging, enjoying a cup of tomato juice with lunch, a cup of hot tomato juice into which an ounce of tomato ketchup has been stirred along with some freshly ground pepper as an afternoon “soup” break, and/or a Virgin Mary (the alcohol-free counterpart to the Blood Mary) before dinner would provide some taste diversity.

More Help against Colon Cancer, Diabetes, and Migraines

So how else can tomatoes help? The folate in tomatoes can also help to reduce the risk of colon cancer. In addition, tomatoes are a good source of riboflavin, which has been shown to be helpful for reducing the frequency of migraine attacks in those who suffer from them. A good intake of chromium, a mineral of which tomatoes are a good source, has been shown to help diabetic patients keep their blood sugar levels under control.

More stuff to know…….

• 1. A large consumption of tomato can help improve skin texture and color.
• 2. Tomato is a good blood purifier.
• 3. Tomato helps in cases of congestion of the liver (protects the liver from cirrhosis) as well as for dissolving gallstones.
• 4. Tomato is a natural antiseptic therefore it can help protect against infection Nicotinic acid in tomatoes can help to reduce blood cholesterol, thus helps prevent heart diseases.
• 5. Vitamin K in tomatoes helps to prevent hemorrhages.
• 6. Tomato contain lycopene (the red pigment in tomato), this pigment is a powerful antioxidant that can also fight cancer cells.

A recipe to try.

One of our favorites recipes where tomatoes are one of the main ingredients, is my Tomato Cucumber Salad.  It’s very easy and very good and great for summer get-togethers.

Did you know that French fries are the most commonly consumed vegetable by toddlers age 15-24 months? (Not surprising to me at all actually.) Or that soda is being served to infants as young as 8 months? These are the  findings from Gerber’s Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS), a groundbreaking study of the dietary patterns and nutrient intakes of 3,000 infants and toddlers from 4-24 months, which revealed inappropriate foods entering the diet at a shockingly young age and that as many as 25% of children did not consume a single fruit or vegetable serving on a given day.

I am a firm believer of having at least 2 vegetables with every meal and always have fruit in the house.   All three of my boys eat both and while my oldest would rather do without, he still eats them because he knows the benefits of them.  I can’t stress it enough that it almost always takes more than 2 or 3 times to get your child to really get a hold of the taste.  Keep trying!

Gerber is dedicated to improving the nutrition and eating habits of your growing children from birth to preschool through the Start Healthy, Stay Healthy campaign. Create your own Start Healthy Stay Healthy pledge and don’t forget to check out the Start Healthy, Stay Healthy YouTube channel!

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This ends on February 1st!  Read complete rules on how I work my giveaways.