Tomatoes ripe, ready for picking
- col-bobbie-randall
- August 23, 2023
- 470
For those of you who are anxiously waiting for ripe tomatoes, just imagining a ready red tomato can make your mouth water. Think of a garden patch with tomato vines woven through stakes that are tied with strips of old T-shirts. The distinctive smell of the plant tempts you to touch the leaves and check for globes of red that fall off the vine with the slightest touch.
It is a special moment when a sun-warmed tomato lies nestled in the palm of your hand and the fresh scar of the stem invites you to put it to your nose. The thought of eating a warm, tangy, sweet tomato with its juices running down to the elbow while standing in a garden has few comparisons.
Once picked, tomatoes lose their distinctive flavor when they are put in refrigerator temperatures of 33-40 F. The best tomato flavor is retained when stored from 55-65 F. Many people are not aware of this fact. The high humidity at lower temperatures of a refrigerator creates a mealy, dry tomato. After this type of temperature abuse, it is no wonder some people dislike fresh tomatoes. Do not put them in the refrigerator.
The true definition of a fruit is the edible part of a plant that contains the seed, such as an apple or melon, while a vegetable is the edible stems, leaves and roots of a plant, like broccoli or a carrot. Just like cucumbers, squashes, beans and peas, tomatoes are fruits of a vine.
These particular fruits were labeled vegetables when Congress passed the Tariff Act of 1883. It was a rather innocuous piece of legislation requiring a 10% tax on imported vegetables in response to growing international trade. A court case back in 1893 refused to recognize the botanical truth that the tomato is in fact a monstrously sized berry. The court decided that since tomatoes, beans, squash and peas are served at dinner as part of a meal, they are included as vegetables and not, like fruits generally, as dessert.
The tomato is botanically a fruit, but the government has made it a vegetable because of the company that it keeps and the revenue that it generates. Tomatoes are the third-most popular vegetable after potatoes and lettuce.
Tomatoes are naturally low in sodium but high in potassium. They are low in calories, especially low in fat. They are excellent sources of antioxidants, dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. The antioxidants in tomatoes are protective against cancers including colon, prostate, breast, lung and pancreatic tumors.
Lycopene, a unique antioxidant, joins forces with other substances in the body to protect cells from skin damage and cancer. Zeaxanthin, another helpful compound found in tomatoes, protects eyes from age-related macular damage and aids vision.
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C, which help the body fight off harmful infections and maintain healthy mucus membranes and bone health. They are power packed with good nutrition that benefits the entire body.
It is harvest time in my small tomato patch. This crop will not disappoint me. My gardening efforts are reaching fruition.
Bobbie Randall is a certified diabetes care and education specialist and registered, licensed dietitian. Email her at bobbierandallrd@gmail.com.