Tomato

Here’s something you might not know about tomatoes: they’re actually a berry! But because they’re more savory than sweet, tomatoes are used as a “culinary vegetable.” They belong to the nightshade family, along with bell peppers and potatoes. While tomatoes are native to South America, they are now used globally, including in many Indian dishes.

Tomatoes are generally regarded as a healthy food. But because they didn’t come to India until the 20th century, there is isn’t anything written about them in the ancient Ayurvedic texts that still influence Indian diets. Still some research studies have supported possible benefits of eating tomatoes including:

• Supporting heart health due to their high amount of lycopene
• Supporting exercise recovery due to their magnesium and electrolyte content
• Helping to balance blood sugar due to high fiber content

We use both fresh and cooked tomatoes in our menu, including in these dishes: