The goodness of "Tomatoes"

Okay . . . so tomatoes can be a "good" thing or a "bad" thing for our health.
So let's break it down . . .
The "good" part about tomatoes is this . . .
Tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant "lycopene", which has been linked to many health benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.
They contain a great source of vitamin C, potassium (which can lower blood pressure levels), folate and vitamin K.
Tomatoes are also a great "anti-inflammatory" which can aid in brain health.
But what about weight loss???
Well . . . tomatoes are also considered an appetite-suppressant "high-volume" food . . . meaning . . . they have a high amount of "water", like we spoke of yesterday.
Not to mention . . . they're very high in "fiber". And as we know from previous Health tips . . . eating foods rich in soluble fiber can help lose "belly fat" due to keeping the body's gut bacteria healthy which in turn . . . promotes overall fat loss.
Okay . . . so now the "bad" part of tomatoes . . .
Tomatoes are "nightshades" along with potatoes (not sweet potatoes), peppers and eggplant. And these "nightshades" are very high in "lectins".
And as we know from previous Health tips . . . "lectins" are called the "miscommunicators" and "silent destroyer" of our health, due to their affect on the body's hormones and organs if the body doesn't have enough "good" bacteria available to eliminate them.
But . . . we also know that most of the "lectins" are in the seeds and skin . . .
So to get the goodness out of "tomatoes" we must deseed and peel them.
The other issue many people have is with their "acidity".
You see . . . "tomatoes" contain "malic acid" and "citric acid", which makes the stomach excessively acidic, resulting in heartburn or acid reflux.
So until you can correct the body's "internal dialogue" so the stomach doesn't produce too much acid . . . some good substitutes for tomato sauce would be . . .
Pesto or extra virgin olive oil with parsley and oregano instead.
But a good solution to correcting this issue would be adding "good" bacteria back into the body to control the acid in the stomach.
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