Benefits of tomatoes
Tomatoes, known for their red color and juicy flavor, are actually a fruit that is widely used in cuisines around the world. They are rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K, and a compound called lycopene, a potent antioxidant that gives them their red color and helps protect against heart disease and certain cancers. According to a 2022 review PMC (PubMed Central), lycopene acts as a potent antioxidant, disrupting cancer cell growth in the human body, and it also helps reduce LDL cholesterol oxidation and blood pressure. The rich potassium content helps reduce inflammation in blood vessels and lowers the risk of heart disease. In a blog post of Isha Foundation, Sadhguru has also celebrated this juicy fruit and mentioned that today, this fruit is eaten in diverse ways around the world. Salads, ketchup, soup, sauce, pickled, dried, fried—the list goes on. In the post, he shared the art of using tomatoes for salad dressing in three different ways. Take a look.
Creamy Tomato Dressing
Ingredients: ¼ cup + 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tomatoes, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 cup almonds and1 1 tbsp salt.
Method: Blend all ingredients until smooth and pour over your favourite salad.
Light Tomato Dressing
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 ripe tomatoes, 3 celery stalks, white/black Pepper powder to taste, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 2 tbsp honey
Method: Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. It serves three to four.
Sesame Tomato Dressing
Ingredients: 8 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 cup tomato juice, 1 cup roasted white sesame, roasted, 2 tbsp vinegar, 6 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp dry oregano and 1.5 tsp salt.
Method: Put everything in a blender and mix and it serves four.
All Images Courtesy: istock