'Mater's: Food as Medicine!

I love tomatoes.  I love growing them.  I especially love eating them.  So versatile.  So absolutely yummola!  I have been growing my own for the past 10 years.  And, the taste is so much better than the kind you get at the store.  You know, the ones with the stickers.  Even the 'organic / local' variety, while the better alternative, are not as good as mine.  Boastful, you ask?  Uh huh.  Yessireebob!  I am.  I am a transplanted midwestern and, boy howdy, I can grow 'maters better than any of these Bay Area city slickers.  ; )

My husband is a prostate cancer survivor.  So, we eat tons of tomatoes.  Here's a few reasons why:

   Starting with the basics, tomatoes contain large amounts of vitamin C, providing 40 percent of the daily value (DV). They also contain 15 percent DV of Vitamin A, 8 percent DV of potassium, and 7 percent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of iron for women and 10 percent RDA for men.

     The red pigment contained in tomatoes is called lycopene. This compound appears to act as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that can damage cells in the body. Only recently, studies have revealed that lycopene may have twice the punch of another well-known  antioxidant betacarotene. Studies conducted by Harvard researchers have discovered that men who consumed 10 servings of tomatoes a week, or the equivalent to 10 slices of pizza, can cut the risk of developing  prostate cancer by a formidable 45 percent. However, its benefits are not limited to the prostate. Italian researchers have found that those who consume more that 7 servings of raw tomatoes lower the risk of developing rectal colon or stomach cancers by 60 percent.    Israeli researchers have found that lycopene is a powerful inhibitor of lung, breast, and endometrial cancer cells.  Research has also indicated that the lycopene in tomatoes can help older people stay active longer.

Lately, I've been enjoying cut up tomatoes mixed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, gobs of garlic, basil-- sit on top of a fresh hunk of motzarella, under it all is a crustini.  That and a nice red. 

There's something to sink your teeth into!