Tomato's medicinal and culinary value

Only one month ago 'slicing tomatoes' were $200 per pound in the Charles Gordon Market. Now you can purchase good-quality ones for $60 per pound and plummy tomatoes for $40-$50 per pound.

There are numerous ways to enjoy tomatoes - in salads, sauces and juices, and they can also be preserved by freezing, pickling and drying. In our Jamaican cooking, plummy tomatoes are used for adding flavour to a wide variety of dishes. Tomatoes are not only versatile in cooking, but are a powerhouse of nutritional value.

Tomatoes are abundant in antioxidant nutrients. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and beta-carotene, a very good source of the mineral manganese, and a good source of vitamin E. Tomatoes are rich in phytonutrients, many of which have been shown to be protective against cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease

Tomato consumption can reduce the risk of heart disease because of its antioxidant support and its regulation of fats in the bloodstream. Lycopene and other related nutrients have the ability to help lower the risk of damage to the body. Tomato intake has been shown to result in the reduced total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It has also been shown to reduce the accumulation of cholesterol molecules in white blood cells.

Numerous phytonutrients in tomatoes have been shown to help prevent excessive clumping of our platelet cells. The excessive clumping together of platelet cells can cause problems for our bloodstream in terms of blockage and unwanted clotting, and prevention of this excessive clumping is important for maintaining heart health.

Take advantage of tomatoes at this reduced price - they are of high potency, cooked or uncooked.

Rosalee M. Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.