Paint Your Plate Red for the Health-Protective Power of Tomato Products

Scientific evidence is pointing out that tomato products, a key ingredient in delicious cuisines around the
world, may help protect your health in a number of ways. Tomato products including canned tomatoes,
tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato soup, tomato juice, and ketchup are inexpensive, always available,
shelf-stable, and easy to use—making them the perfect ingredient to reach for when you’re on the quest for
a healthy meal to make in minutes.

Health Benefits Linked with Tomato Products

Tomato products are packed with important nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and the powerful
antioxidant, lycopene—all in a low-calorie, low-fat bundle. In fact, the lycopene found in processed tomato
products is even more available to your body compared with fresh tomatoes. Eating more tomato products—
the second most popular vegetable only to potatoes—is also an easy way to help you get closer to the
recommended nine servings of fruits and vegetables you should be eating every day to protect from
conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

Researchers have found a number of health benefits linked with eating more tomato products, from helping
to protect against the sun’s damaging rays to promoting healthy bones. But the strongest proof for eating
more tomato products is linked to their ability to fend off heart disease and certain types of cancer, particularly
prostate cancer. The nutrients in tomatoes help put the brakes on free radical damage and inflammation,
which is at the root of many disease killers of our age such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Get Your Red On!

With so many reasons to enjoy more tomato products, start putting red into your diet every day. Here are a
few tips to get you started:

• Make a pot of soup each week featuring canned tomatoes or tomato juice as a base.
• Include canned, diced tomatoes in casseroles such as tamale pie or ratatouille.
• Serve baked tomatoes as a side dish by sprinkling canned tomatoes with herbs, bread crumbs, and olive oil before baking.

• Feature a pasta dish that includes tomato sauce (like lasagna or spaghetti) for dinner at least once a week.
• Enjoy Latin dishes that feature tomato sauce or salsa (like tacos or enchiladas) at least once per week.
• Try Indian tomato-based curries as an aromatic, flavorful meal choice.
• Fill your crock pot with canned tomatoes, dried beans, onions, and seasonings to create a healthy bean stew.
• Make home-made pizza starting with whole grain pizza crust, pizza sauce, and lots of veggies.
• Don’t miss out on the power of tomato-based condiments, from ketchup to salsa, to help up your tomato
• product intake.

This edition of SCANNERS was made possible through support from the Tomato Products Wellness Council.
© 2008 ADA. Reproduction of this fact sheet is permitted for educational purposes. Reproduction for sales purposes is not authorized.