Cherry tomatoes: benefits and harms to the body

Among the variety of tomatoes, not everyone can combine the benefits, attractive appearance and unique taste throughout the year. However, it was these properties that made cherry tomatoes world-famous. Small saturated red fruits with a pronounced aroma and taste will not leave anyone indifferent. Today there are many varieties of small-fruited tomatoes, which differ in color, shape, size and taste. Therefore, it is necessary to understand what the benefits and harms of cherry are, how to choose, store and use this variety.

What is the difference between cherry tomatoes and ordinary

Cherry tomatoes (from the English. "Cherry") got their name because of the shape and small size, reminiscent of a cherry. Unlike their traditional counterparts, they have small and rich red glossy fruits that have absorbed maximum benefit, taste and aroma.

Indeed, for residents of Russia, perhaps this is the only alternative to traditional tomatoes from October to June. Indeed, large fruits in the cold period noticeably lose their properties. And brought or specially grown cherry tomatoes are delicious year-round. However, such an alternative from warm countries will cost significantly more.

Cherry tomatoes are significantly superior in taste even to the summer harvest of large counterparts. The mini-variety is endowed with a characteristic sweet and dessert flavor with distant berry hues. Any dish using cherry instead of regular tomatoes will have a brighter and more saturated taste. In addition, small red fruits will be an excellent decoration for the festive table.

Unlike ordinary tomatoes, small elastic fruits with a dense skin can be stored much longer under equal conditions. In addition to fresh consumption, cherry canned, dried and pickled.

Which are more useful

Cherry tomatoes do not lose their value even in the cold season. Therefore, eating small-fruited tomatoes will make it possible to replenish the supply of vitamins and elements necessary for the body in the off-season and in winter.

Compared to other varieties, the benefits of tomatoes in this variety are undeniable. Small-fruited tomatoes contain twice as many nutrients and trace elements. Some specially bred varieties have an increased number of lycopene and beta-carotene. Lycopene has powerful antioxidant properties and helps to improve the cardiovascular and circulatory system. And beta-carotene is recognized as the "elixir of youth and longevity."

Composition and calorie content

The most outstanding feature of the composition of cherry tomatoes is the doubled indicators of nutrients, in comparison with traditional large varieties. With constant and moderate consumption of cherry tomatoes, the human body receives many essential vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins in the composition:

• A, important for vision, skin and hair.
• Group B (B1, B2, B6, B9) participating in energy exchanges.
• C, necessary for connective tissue.
• D received by man only from the outside.
• E, which plays a role in muscle development.
• PP protecting blood vessels.

Macronutrients:

• Potassium, which affects muscle function.
• Calcium essential for bone tissue.
• Magnesium important to the heart.
• Sodium, a component of intercellular fluid.
• Phosphorus necessary for bone tissue.

Trace elements:

• Iron, an essential component of blood cells.
• Manganese, found in all organs and tissues.
• Copper, necessary for the synthesis of female hormones.
• Zinc, necessary for the musculoskeletal system.
• Iodine, affecting the metabolism.
• Copper, necessary for the synthesis of female hormones.
• Chromium, which affects the processes of blood formation.
• Fluoride, supporting youth.
• Molybdenum, important for the nervous system.

Cherry tomatoes are classified as diet foods. Their calorie content is only 24.2 kcal. Per 100 g of product:

• water - 93.4 g;
• carbohydrates - 3.84 g;
• fats - 2.02 g;
• proteins - 1.2 g;
• dietary fiber - 0.81 g;
• organic acids - 0.50 g.

What are the benefits of cherry tomatoes

General benefit

Small-fruited tomatoes significantly outperform large fruits in at least the amount of nutrients. That is why you need to think about adding cherry tomatoes to a constant diet.

The benefits of regular use:

1. Mood improvement. Some substances found in cherry tomatoes contribute to the production of serotonin - the hormone of happiness. This natural antidepressant will help to maintain an optimistic attitude during difficult life situations. A good mood is the key to the stable functioning of the nervous system, which is necessary for human health.
2. Normalization of the kidneys. A significant amount of vitamin K in cherry tomatoes contributes to the absorption of calcium and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the kidneys. Regular withdrawal of excess fluid from the body is necessary for health and beauty. Such processes reduce puffiness and allow you to always look cheerful and fresh.
3. Maintaining the cardiovascular and circulatory system. Cherry tomatoes contain the antioxidant necessary for the human body - lycopene. A sufficient amount of it helps to reduce the risks of many pathologies, including heart disease. Lycopene works exclusively with fats. Therefore, when eating tomatoes, it is necessary to add vegetable oils and products containing fats to food.
4. Reducing the risk of cancer. The previously mentioned lycopene also helps prevent the oncological diseases of certain organs: lungs, stomach, esophagus and intestines. It is worth noting that the effect of lycopene after heat treatment becomes only stronger. In this case, the color of the tomato is especially important. Among all varieties, it is better to choose bright red fruits, they contain the largest amount of a useful antioxidant.
5. Replenishment of the body's mineral reserves. Cherry tomatoes, saturated with micro and macro elements, will help improve the general condition of the body in the off-season and winter. Tomatoes are useful in the depletion of the nervous system, a decline in strength and mood, hypovitaminosis. In winter, it is recommended to completely replace ordinary tomatoes with mini-varieties to replenish the supply of vitamins and minerals necessary for a person.

For women

Cherry tomatoes are good for women's health - lycopene and alpha-tomato reduce the risk of breast cancer. Other important components of tomatoes help improve the condition of the skin, giving it softness and smoothness.

For men

Scientifically proven the positive effect of the components of cherry tomatoes on men's health. Numerous vitamins and elements help the body prevent inflammation of the prostate. According to research, regular consumption of fresh small-fruited tomatoes in food reduces the risk of prostate cancer.

During pregnancy

The diet of a pregnant woman must include cherry tomatoes - this is a benefit not only for the expectant mother, but also for the baby. Vitamin B9 is needed even before conception in order to reduce the risks of malformations of the unborn child. During pregnancy, calcium and phosphorus help to properly form the musculoskeletal system of the baby. Iron and potassium will help a pregnant woman avoid anemia. A significant share of vitamin C will boost immunity and protect the expectant mother from possible colds.

When breastfeeding

Tomatoes saturated with vitamins and minerals will benefit both the baby and the nursing mother.Fresh tomato juice will help, if necessary, strengthen lactation and normalize the body's water balance. However, any tomatoes can cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor any manifestations on this product. The introduction of tomatoes in food should be gradual. In the absence of negative reactions, the portion can be gradually increased.

For children

Cherry tomatoes, along with other vegetables and fruits, should be present in the children's menu. The first introduction of tomatoes in a child’s nutrition should not be earlier than 10 months of age, otherwise you can only harm the digestive system of a fragile body. The first lures are given in the form of a heat-treated tomato without a peel, rubbed through a sieve. The maximum size of the first portion is 0.5 tsp. In the absence of allergic reactions, the portion size of tomato puree can be increased.

Fresh tomatoes can be introduced into the diet of a child from at least 1 year old, also with a normal reaction to the product. Children over 3 years old can add tomatoes to various prepared dishes: salads, soups, baked vegetables.

When losing weight

Due to its low calorie content, fresh small-fruited tomatoes are classified as dietary products. For losing weight, cherry tomatoes are a tasty product without extra calories, which has a number of useful properties:

• eliminates puffiness;
• removes bile and toxins;
• improves digestive processes;
• normalizes metabolism.

Chromium contained in the composition promotes rapid saturation, lycopene is involved in the process of splitting of fat cells.

Dried cherry tomatoes: benefits and harms

Sweet and fragrant cherry tomatoes are especially popular in almost all cuisines of Europe and the Mediterranean. This is due to the many ways of processing and preparing this product. Dried or dried tomatoes appeared relatively recently and have already won the hearts of many gourmets.

The appearance of dried tomatoes is not very presentable, which does not impair their taste. In the process of preparation, the dried product acquires a rich taste and aroma, complemented by spicy notes from various spices. Such a delicacy can be stored for up to a year under all storage conditions. Sun-dried cherry tomatoes are universal in application: they can be a component of a dish, part of a snack or an independent product.

The use of dried tomatoes
A dried product is able to retain useful components for a long time. Therefore, dried delicacy will help replenish vitamins and essential elements at any time of the year. Properly cooked dried tomatoes have an extensive range of properties that have a beneficial effect on the human body:

1. Dried tomatoes have an average calorie content, but this is not a reason to exclude them from the diet. Saturated with useful substances, they diversify daily nutrition without damaging the figure, it is only important to adjust the intake rate.
2. Being a natural antidepressant, sun-dried tomatoes are able to normalize the nervous system, positively affect brain activity and even improve memory.
3. Heat treatment enhances the properties of lycopene, which can reduce the risks of certain oncological diseases and slow down the aging process of the body.
4. The high potassium content in dried tomatoes will prevent puffiness and improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
5. Vitamins and minerals that survive after heat treatment will improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and circulatory system.

It is important to soak the dried fruit in warm water for several minutes before serving the sun-dried delicacy to remove excess salt. The resulting product will have a more elegant and delicate taste.

The harm of dried tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes can be harmful only in case of overeating: a high value of oxalic acid destructively affects the liver. Since dried tomato retains almost all of its properties, contraindications to the dried product will be the same as for fresh.

Harm and contraindications

Each product, in addition to benefits, has a number of contraindications. Cherry tomatoes can harm people suffering from at least one of the following pathologies:

• joint diseases
• hypertension;
• diseases of the liver, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract;
• the presence of stones in the bladder;
• metabolic disorders;
• addiction to food allergies.

How to choose and store

When buying cherry, it is important to pay attention to the following features:

1. Fruits have the right shape.
2. The skin of the fetus is smooth, with a glossy sheen, without signs of decay.
3. The color of the tomato corresponds to the variety, uniform.
4. The aroma of a ripe fruit is always rich and characteristic of tomatoes.
5. The lack of a pronounced aroma indicates a premature harvest.

Tomatoes are stored in a cool dark place, but not in the refrigerator.

Is it possible to freeze

Many people claim that freezing will only violate the structure of the tomato, make it too soft and deprive of all flavoring features. To avoid such an experience, it is important to strictly follow the recommendations for the selection, preparation and freezing of tomatoes:

1. For proper freezing, only ripe and sufficiently elastic fruits are suitable without visible damage.
2. Sorted tomatoes must be thoroughly washed with clean cold water.
3. Drying should take place naturally on a clean towel.
4. For freezing and subsequent storage, you must use a suitable container: sealed bags or plastic containers that are resistant to low temperatures.
5. Using the super-freeze mode or rapid cooling to a minimum temperature will prevent the fruits from sticking together in the process.

Freezing tomatoes has several advantages:

1. Preparation does not require much time and much effort.
2. Freshly frozen tomatoes retain up to 90% of nutrients.
3. When freezing, no additional preservatives are required for long-term preservation of the product.
4. The taste and aroma of properly thawed cherry blanks will be richer than winter large-fruited tomatoes.
5. Easy peeling after blanching tomatoes.

Each procurement method has some disadvantages, and freezing is no exception:

1. Departure from freezing technology can lead to a complete loss of the original structure of the tomato.
2. The quality of stocks can be affected by power outages, because repeated freezing will negatively affect all the properties of tomatoes.

By harvesting cherry tomatoes by freezing, you can provide your family with tasty and healthy raw materials for the whole winter. Compliance with the technology will maximize the preservation of the initial composition and properties of the product.

What can I cook with cherry tomatoes: recipes

Cherry tomatoes, due to their unique rich taste, are widely used in cooking. The mini-variety is used to prepare various snacks, sandwiches, salads, pizza, hot dishes. Cherry, like traditional varieties, is pickled, frozen and even dried for the winter.

Salad with cherry tomatoes, avocado and shrimp

For the salad you will need:

• cherry tomatoes - 8 pcs.;
• avocado - 1 pc.;
• salad prawns - 100 g;
• leaf lettuce - a small bunch;
• greens (dill, parsley, basil) - to taste;
• half a clove of garlic;
• lemon juice - 1 tsp;
• olive oil - 3 tbsp .;
• pepper and salt to taste.

The calorie content of the finished salad is 51 kcal.

Cooking time - 15 minutes.

Step by step recipe:

1. We prepare all the ingredients. Fry the shrimp in olive oil for 2 minutes, cool and clean. We wash vegetables and greens with running water and dry with a towel.
2. Chop vegetables. Peel the avocado, cut it in half and remove the stone, chop the pulp into cubes. Cherry tomatoes are cut in half.Finely chop the greens and garlic.
3. Cooking dressing by mixing olive oil, lemon juice and herbs.
4. We serve. We tear leaf lettuce with our hands into large pieces and put it on a plate. Above are avocados, peeled shrimp and tomatoes. Add dressing and favorite seasonings.

A delicious and healthy light salad is ready!

Bruschetta with Cherry and Mozzarella

For cooking you will need:

• cherry tomatoes - 300 g;
• baguette of premium flour or loaf - 400 g .;
• olive oil - 2 tbsp;
• Provencal herbs - 1 tsp;
• mozzarella - 100 g;
• fresh basil leaves.

The calorie content of the finished dish is 90 kcal.

Cooking time - 30 minutes.

Step by step recipe:

1. We cut the baguette into portioned pieces, sprinkle with olive oil, send it to the oven preheated to 200 degrees for 5 minutes. Finely chop the cherry tomatoes and quickly fry over high heat with olive oil and Provencal herbs for 1-2 minutes. Cut the mozzarella into thin plates.
2. Put slices of mozzarella on a toasted baguette, distribute the fried tomatoes on top, decorate with fresh basil leaves.

Serve hot appetizer, when ready. The dish will be appreciated by lovers of Mediterranean cuisine.

Pizza with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese

To prepare the test you will need:

• flour –180 g;
• dry yeast - 5 g;
• olive oil - 30 ml;
• salt to taste;
• warm water - 70 ml.

For filling:

• tomato sauce - 100 g;
• mushrooms (champignons) - 100 g;
• cherry tomatoes - 100 g;
• mozzarella cheese - 120 g;
• Parmesan cheese - 50 g.

The calorie content of ready-made pizza is 200 kcal.

Cooking time - 50 min.

Step by step recipe:

1. Knead the dough. Sift the flour, add salt, yeast, oil, warm water. Mix all the ingredients until a soft, uniform dough is obtained. Cover with a film for 20-30 minutes.
2. Preparing the filling. Mushrooms are cut into thin plates. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. We rub cheeses.
3. Roll the dough into a round cake, grease it with tomato sauce, spread the mushrooms on top. Sprinkle with cheese, spread the tomatoes, add spices to taste.
4. Bake in a preheated oven to 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

We serve home-made pizza to the table, decorating it with greens and cutting it into pieces.

Snack: salmon crepes

For cooking you will need:

• smoked salmon or salmon - 150 g;
• cottage cheese - 5 tbsp .;
• cherry tomatoes - 8 pcs.;
• greens to taste.

For pancakes:

• flour - 1 glass;
• milk - 1 cup;
• egg - 1 pc.;
• baking powder - ½ tsp;
• salt to taste;
• butter - for frying.

Calorie content - 140 kcal.

Cooking time - 35 minutes.

Step by step recipe:

1. We prepare the ingredients. Knead the dough for pancakes made from flour, milk, eggs, baking powder and salt. In a hot frying pan greased with oil, bake small pancakes, similar in size to pancakes. Add your favorite seasonings and chopped greens to the curd cheese. We cut salmon into thin slices, tomatoes - in half.
2. We make the dish. We spread cottage cheese with greens on a pancake snack. Put slices of fish on top and decorate with tomatoes.

The appetizer will be a hearty and delicious decoration of the festive table.

Grilled tart with vegetables

To prepare the tart you will need:

• finished puff pastry - 1 pack;
• eggplant - 1 pc.;
• cherry tomatoes - 6 pcs.;
• zucchini - 1 pc.;
• curd cheese - 50 g;
• onions - ½ pcs.;
• flour - 1 tbsp;
• oil - for frying;
• ready-made sauce (cheese or pesto);
• spices to taste;
• parchment for baking.

Calorie dishes - 60 kcal.

Cooking time - 45 minutes.

Step by step recipe:

1. We prepare the components. Defrost the finished puff pastry to room temperature. All vegetables from the list of ingredients are washed and dried. Zucchini, eggplant and onions are cleaned, cut into circles and quickly fried in a hot frying pan greased with oil. Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves.
2. We prepare the dish before baking. We spread the dough on baking parchment, sprinkled with flour. Roll out, giving the desired shape. Grease with your favorite sauce, pesto or cheese is perfect for vegetables. Put the fried vegetables on the dough. We put tomatoes and slices of cottage cheese on top.
3. We bake the dish in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

Crunchy and juicy tart with grilled vegetables, decorate with fresh herbs and serve as hot.

When preparing tart, you must experiment with the ingredients - use seasonal vegetables, add mushrooms and hard cheese. Having prepared several variations of the dish, you can understand what combination of ingredients will become a signature recipe.

How to Pickle Cherry Tomatoes

Pickled tomatoes are an indispensable decoration of the Russian table in the cold season. Especially delicious will be a workpiece made of saturated sweet cherry tomatoes.

Pickled cherry tomatoes for winter

The recipe is designed for 3 liter or 1 three-liter jar. A small container is convenient when you want to diversify your daily diet, but do not keep a large jar in the refrigerator for several days. A 3-liter capacity will be relevant at a large festive table.

For cooking you will need:

• cherry tomatoes - 2 kg;
• garlic - 4 cloves;
• onions - 1 pc.;
• bay leaf - 4 pcs.;
• allspice - to taste;
• water - 1.3 l;
• salt - 30 g;
• sugar - 60 g;
• vinegar 70% - 1 tbsp.

In a jar of tomatoes you can put bell peppers, carrots, squash and squash. For a spicier brine, nutmeg, coriander and dill umbrellas are added.

Stages of preparation:

1. We wash the tomatoes with running cold water and remove the stalks. Dry in a natural way, laying out on a clean towel.
2. We sterilize jars and lids in a convenient way: over a boiling kettle, over a pan in a colander or in the oven at a temperature of 100 degrees.
3. So that the tomatoes remain intact, and the peel does not burst from hot pouring, we pierce them at the base with a toothpick. This tip only works on elastic tomatoes with a dense skin. Too soft and thin-skinned fruits will burst even after punctures.
4. At the bottom of the cans we spread the seasonings and garlic. Then gently and tightly place the tomatoes in a jar. In empty places we report slices of our favorite vegetables, put onion rings on top.
5. Pour prepared jars with boiling water and cover with sterilized lids. We leave them in this form for 15-20 minutes.
6. Drain the water into one large and clean pan. Add sugar and salt, set on fire and bring to a boil. Boil the brine for 2-3 minutes.
7. Pour vinegar (you can both into a common pot, and in each jar). The entire volume of brine will require 1 tbsp. vinegar.
8. We pour the brine into cans and twist the lids with a seaming machine.
9. Jars with pickled tomatoes are turned upside down and put on the lid. Be sure to wrap a blanket for a gradual cooling. After a few hours, we remove the blanket and leave it for another day at room temperature.

The workpiece can be removed to the cellar with a lower storage temperature or left at home on the shelf of the pantry. You can try pickled cherry tomatoes in 3-4 weeks.

Quick pickle

If you do not want to wait a whole month for salting, you can use the quick way. The “whip up” option will allow you to enjoy the taste in just a few days.

To make pickles you will need:

• cherry tomatoes - 1 kg;
• onions - 1 pc.;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• water - 1 l;
• sugar - 2 tbsp;
• salt - 1.5 tbsp .;
• vinegar 6% - 4 tbsp;
• bay leaf - 4 pcs.;
• nutmeg - to taste:
• cloves to taste;
• allspice peas to taste.

Stages of preparation:

1. We wash the tomatoes with clean cold water. Then we dry on a clean towel in a natural way.
2. We sterilize the jar and lid or pour over boiling water.
3. Put garlic, bay leaf, pepper, cloves, nutmeg and other favorite spices at the bottom of the jar.
4. We pierce the tomatoes with a toothpick or a skewer at the base so that the peel does not burst due to a sharp temperature difference.Plus, through the holes, the brine will additionally enter the pulp of the fetus.
5. Gently spread the cherry tomatoes in a jar, trying to fill all the free space. Put onion rings on top.
6. Pour boiling water into a jar prepared and filled with tomatoes, cover with a lid and leave for 10-15 minutes.
7. Pour the water from the cans into a large pan, add salt and sugar, boil for 1-2 minutes. Add vinegar essence to the brine.
8. Pour the finished brine into a jar and twist the lid.
9. After complete cooling, we remove the workpiece in the refrigerator.

After 5 days, the pickled cherry will be ready. In the same way, you can cook ordinary large tomatoes. You have to wait even less - just a couple of days. However, a miniature tomato harvest will have a richer flavor.

Interesting Facts

Today, almost every Russian is familiar with the bright taste and aroma of cherry, although in our country this variety of tomatoes appeared relatively recently. Many do not even imagine what interesting facts are associated with these mouth-watering fruits.

1. The first mention of the cultivation of small varieties of tomatoes dates back to the beginning of the VIII century BC. e. At that time in Mexico, South American Indians were already growing several varieties.
2. It is still genuinely unknown how tomatoes appeared in Europe. The first notes about European tomatoes are dated to the middle of the XVI century. And only in the 1970s, small fruits gained the greatest popularity.
3. In America, for a long time, tomatoes were considered poisonous. Only in 1820, Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson debunked this myth by eating a bucket of tomatoes in front of a crowd of two thousand in front of the courthouse. After such a meal, the colonel remained alive and well, and the tomatoes were ubiquitous.
4. The first name of tomatoes - “matl” was invented by the Aztecs. The familiar word “tomato” was invented by the French. And “tomato”, translated from Italian, literally means “golden apple”.
5. All over the world there are more than 10 thousand different types of tomatoes. The smallest ripe fruits have a diameter of less than 2 cm.
6. Cherry tomatoes are incredibly beneficial for farmers. From one plant there is an opportunity to bring the stepson, thereby having already received two plants. The lightness of mini-tomatoes and the openwork of the leaves contribute to the growth of young branches with new fruits. Therefore, one plant can bring a double crop.
7. The amount of nutrients in cherry tomatoes cannot but surprise. Vitamins, macro- and micronutrients benefit many body systems.

Without cherry tomatoes, it is almost impossible to imagine the cuisine of many famous countries of the world. Snacks, salads, soups, hot dishes and even sauces without small bright tomatoes will no longer be so tasty, fragrant and beautiful. And canned, frozen and dried fruits will help to diversify and decorate the table in the cold season. In addition, cherry tomatoes are not only very tasty, but also healthy.

Photo of Cherry Tomatoes