Promotes collagen production to help skin firm
Collagen is the main component that creates the structure and elasticity of the skin, but the body cannot produce this substance itself without vitamin C. Vitamin C plays a catalyst role for enzymes to take the necessary steps to form and maintain stable collagen structure.
A medium-sized raw tomato provides about 17 mg of vitamin C, equivalent to nearly 19% of the recommended daily nutritional value for the body. Therefore, regularly eating tomatoes along with other healthy foods is a simple way to meet the body's vitamin C needs and support healthy skin structure.
Reduce the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays thanks to the active ingredient lycopene
Besides vitamin C, ripe tomatoes also contain a large amount of lycopene - a pigment that creates a characteristic red color with strong antioxidant activity. When the skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays, sunlight will stimulate the creation of oxygen radicals that react harmfully to skin cells. The active ingredient lycopene has the ability to limit this oxidative damage, thereby helping to reduce redness and protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV rays.
Both raw and cooked tomatoes bring their own nutritional benefits to the body. Fresh tomatoes provide abundant amounts of vitamin C that is easily lost when exposed to high temperatures. Conversely, cooking tomatoes helps the body absorb lycopene much more easily. Because lycopene is a fat-soluble active ingredient, combining tomatoes with a healthy fat source such as olive oil will bring optimal absorption efficiency.
To diversify your daily meals, you can process tomatoes into many simple dishes. You can make tomato sauce by simmering tomatoes with garlic, onions and olive oil; pour them on spaghetti or make sauces to eat with eggs.
You can also cook tomato soup by grinding tomatoes and cooking with broth, onions and olive oil to have a warm bowl of soup served with bread. In addition, you can arrange slices of raw tomatoes onto toast with cheese, or chop them and mix them with cucumber and olive oil sauce to make a refreshing salad.
