Juicy, fresh tomatoes are some of summertime’s best eating. Tomatoes taste so good when they are in season -- you can just slice them up and serve them plain with a sprinkle of salt (and a lot of napkins.) Or, add them to salads, cook them for a delicious sauce, or grill them for extra sweetness.

Americans love tomatoes. In fact, tomatoes are among the four most popular vegetables along with potatoes, onions and lettuce, but it wasn’t always so. Until the mid-19th century, the popular wisdom was to only eat tomatoes after they had been cooked for three hours!

Nutrition and Health

Tomatoes are low in calories and virtually fat-free. They provide vitamin C, potassium, fiber and some B vitamins. Also, tomatoes contain a lot of lycopene, a potent antioxidant that may protect against heart disease, prostate cancer and other cancers.

What to Look For

For the best tomatoes, follow your nose. Tomatoes that smell good will taste good. Besides fragrance, choose rich-colored tomatoes that are firm but not hard. Don’t select tomatoes with any blemishes, wrinkles or wide splits in the skin. The size, shape and color really depend on the variety you are buying.

How to Store

Keep your tomatoes in a cool place, but preferably not in the refrigerator, because the cold saps their flavor and makes them taste mealy. It’s best to use ripe tomatoes within a day or two.

Eating

Have a bowl of washed cherry or grape tomatoes on the table in easy reach for nutritious snacking. Fresh tomatoes in summertime are so delicious they don’t need a lot of embellishment. Cheeses such as Parmesan, mozzarella and feta, and herbs like basil, parsley and chives are some good choices. Other flavorful partners include anchovies, olives and eggs.

Interestingly, cooked tomatoes contain five times more lycopene than raw tomatoes, and are easier for your body to absorb. Lycopene is also fat-soluble, so if you prepare your tomatoes with a little fat, like olive oil, you’ll take in more.

Recipe

Tomato Bruschetta

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