What is the tomato exactly?

It is interesting to know that the first tomatoes were only ornamental plants, which were attributed miraculous properties.

Tomato is from the lily family. To this family are potatoes, peppers, eggplants, but the poisonous belladonna and datura.

For a long time they were not used for food because it was thought they were poisonous. Mass consumption of tomatoes began only in the XVIII century – the first green and then red.

In the modern kitchen tomatoes are used almost daily fresh or preserved state – canned food, concentrates, dried, frozen and so on. Thanks to the greenhouses provide fresh tomatoes in the winter months. About the tomato is a vegetable that is present continuously at our table in the form of salad. Botany denies the tomato as a vegetable. According to her “mature ovary, together with seeds of flowering plant” is the result.

What are then the peppers, aubergines, courgettes, cucumbers, beans, avocados?

So the dispute is still going on …

Scientists argue that there is a difference in terminology in botany and cooking.>But this does not solve the question of what is home.

There are over 1,000 varieties of tomatoes, including “cherry tomatoes, pink tomatoes, slivovoobraznite Italian tomatoes and more. More size tomatoes vary in average diameter of 5 to 10 cm. In shape can be round, flattened or oblong, pear and oval. color distinguish yellow, bright orange, pink and mostly red tomatoes. There are also varieties that remain green in color even after ripening. The taste of tomatoes depends on many factors, including the time of harvest (before / after maturation) content sugar acids, the softness of the flesh and the resiliency of leatherback shell.

Besides a large amount of vitamins.C and carotene in tomatoes is lycopene. This phytochemical substance imparts red color to tomatoes, melons, red grapefruit, red pepper. Lycopene acts as an antioxidant, protects against cancers, particularly prostate, neutralize the negative effects of UV radiation.