|
Are
Tomatoes Good for Weight Loss?
Tomatoes
are healthy, refreshing, and can even be a bit sweet without all
the calories of sugar. We eat tons of tomatoes, whether in salads,
side dishes, sliced into sandwiches, cooked, turned into sauce,
stewed, pureed, or crushed. One reason why tomatoes are so nice
to eat is that they can have a natural sweetness that satisfies
our cravings for sweet things. While it may take a bit for you
to start thinking of tomatoes as a sweet treat, maybe it will
help to know that tomatoes are actually, technically a fruit!
Tomatoes
have a few healthy attributes that we humans greatly benefit
from. First of all, tomatoes are very high in vitamin C. Vitamin
C is an antioxidant and can help your body to combat illnesses,
from the common cold to cancer. Tomatoes also contain beta-carotene,
which is also suspected of being very good at boosting immune
system function. Another carotenoid called lycopene is also
very good at keeping your immune system running optimally.
There
have also been some findings that link lycopene to healthy metabolism.
And healthy metabolism is what keeps you from storing fat. Our
bodies have a natural balance to maintain. When things are good
and we eat a reasonable amount of healthy foods, our bodies
know that we don't need to store a lot of extra fat. But when
we are stressed or eat a lot of hard to digest processed foods,
our bodies go into emergency mode and start to store energy
as fat. Because processed foods, sugar, and simple carbohydrates
are hard for the body to use and low in nutritional value, it's
like your body feels starved, even if you are always full.
Tomatoes
may not be a weight loss trick or miracle that can change the
way you look in a magical way, but because they are so healthy
and contain almost no calories, they do help people to eat a
healthier diet. Regular physical activity and a healthy diet
are the best ways to lose weight permanently and naturally.
Crash diets and weight loss pills may help you to lose weight,
but once you go back to your old habits, you'll gain the weight
back again.
The
reason that tomatoes and other vegetables can help you to lose
weight is that they are a healthy way for your body to get calories,
nutrition, and keep your metabolism balanced.
|