A healthy and slim body has a lot to do with healthy nutrition. Different macronutrients and micronutrients in balance provide different positive effects on your health. Foods that are rich in vitamin A may add to your glowing skin and sharp vision; sources of vitamin C may support your immune system; and vitamin B1 is vital for your metabolism. We could go on for ages, describing what health benefits each nutrient has. Some of the foods combine nutrients in such a way that their consumption is believed to be highly effective for weight loss processes. This is why one-food diets occur. And one of the representatives of such nutritional plans is a tomato diet.
A tomato diet is a nutritional plan that requires the consumption of tomatoes during each meal. Tomatoes are full of nutrients, which are important for a lot of your body’s processes, and are incredibly low in calories, fats, and carbs, as they mostly consist of water. They have a lot of health benefits and are used all over the world in every possible form. On the tomato diet, you can eat raw tomatoes, grill them, drink tomato juice, and consume them in many other ways. Following this diet may help you lose up to 5 pounds (2.5 kilos) in 4 days. However, such a rapid weight loss is likely to be short-lasting.
Another variant of a tomato diet is healthier than consuming only tomatoes. It includes the addition of tomatoes and tomato products to your regular daily meals. This type is more balanced and less restrictive, which makes it a lot easier to follow. Although it may not have such an impressive slimming effect, it has the potential to improve your health and wellness and may lead to more sustainable weight loss over time.
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Like all other popular vegetables, tomatoes are filled to the brim with vital nutrients. 1/2 cup of raw red tomatoes contains the following (6):
Tomatoes are also a rich source of such vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including (4):
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Due to their rich nutritional content, tomatoes have an abundance of health benefits. As part of a healthy balanced diet, they may help you lower the risk of different diseases and improve your current condition. Some of the most significant benefits of tomatoes include their possible ability to (3):
A high content of vitamin C and other antioxidants makes tomatoes potent for combating the free radicals that cause cancer (1).
Another benefit of the great number of antioxidants that are found in tomatoes is that they may support your gut health (5). They also contain fiber, which is beneficial for gut health. One study even showed that cherry tomatoes may act as a prebiotic, promoting the growth of good bacteria in your digestive system (2).
Some of the nutrients in tomatoes have been shown to protect eyes against light-induced damage and prevent the occurrence of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and choline in tomatoes may effectively support your heart health. For example, potassium is believed to help reduce blood pressure, while antioxidants such as vitamin C and others may help prevent plaques from building up in the blood vessels.
Collagen is essential if you want to have healthy skin, hair, nails, and connective tissues. As tomatoes are packed with vitamin C, which is involved in the production of collagen, they may help you preserve young and elastic skin, thick and shiny hair, and strong nails.
If you only eat tomatoes, your body is likely to face significant nutritional challenges. Although tomatoes are nutritious, they cannot provide all the essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.
Here’s what happens when you only eat tomatoes:
In short, while tomatoes are healthy, an all-tomato diet would result in serious health risks and imbalances over time.
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Despite all the health benefits that tomatoes provide your body with, the overconsumption of them may have some harmful effects under certain circumstances (3):
Beta-blockers are a type of medication, which is usually prescribed when a person has certain heart problems. They may increase the potassium levels in the blood, and due to the high content of this nutrient in tomatoes, their consumption should be moderate when taking beta-blockers.
Overconsumption of potassium can also have negative effects on people who suffer from impaired kidney function.
People with certain medical conditions should avoid eating a lot of tomatoes, as they are acidic and may cause an increase in such symptoms as heartburn and vomiting. Consult your doctor before you make any dietary changes.
Read more: A 7-Day Cucumber-Based Diet That Helps Lose Up To 13 Lbs
As there are two types of tomato diet, it’s recommended to follow the less restrictive and more balanced variant where you simply include tomatoes at each meal. Here’s a sample of a plan for one day of your balanced tomato diet:
Breakfast: omelet or scrambled eggs with spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes with whole-grain toast
Lunch: Sandwich with tomatoes, lettuce, chicken, and tomato soup.
Snack: Mackerel in tomato sauce on whole-grain toast or crackers.
Dinner: Grilled fish with rice and baked summer vegetables with tomatoes.
No, tomatoes are not zero-calorie. A medium-sized tomato contains around 18-22 calories, although they are low-calorie compared to many other foods (6). They are mostly water and fiber, which makes them a great option for weight management. While eating 10 tomatoes a day isn’t harmful in itself, it may cause digestive issues in some people due to the high acidity, potentially leading to heartburn or stomach discomfort. It’s important to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods to avoid nutrient imbalances. Craving tomatoes could be due to a nutritional deficiency, such as a lack of vitamin C or potassium. Some people may also crave tomatoes due to their high water content, particularly when dehydrated (9). It may also mean nothing at all. Yes, tomatoes are good for your skin. They are rich in antioxidants such as lycopene, which can help protect against sun damage, and their vitamin C content may promote collagen production, supporting skin elasticity and healing (10).Frequently Asked Questions
Are tomatoes zero-calorie?
Can I eat 10 tomatoes a day?
Why do I crave tomatoes?
Are tomatoes good for your skin?
Tomatoes proved their value to the whole world hundreds of years ago and are now highly popular. They are rich in nutrients and have a number of health benefits. It’s no wonder that such a thing as a tomato-only diet exists. It promises to help you shed 5 pounds in half a week. Following this dietary plan for a longer period may cause a host of health problems, so it’s recommended that you only stick to it for 3-4 days, if at all. Also, as with any other mono-diet, the tomato diet is highly restrictive and may be difficult to complete. It’s not well-balanced, so before you start to follow it, you should pay a visit to your doctor. However, choosing to add tomatoes to a well-balanced diet may have health benefits you can take advantage of without the same risks.
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