An excerpt from a letter, found in the Library of Congress, between Abraham Lincoln, and someone that would become his nemesis later on, Clement Vallandigham. An Ohio opponent of the Civil War and of abolition, he hated canned tomatoes and eventually was thrown out of the country by Abraham Lincoln because of his views. As a result of his banishment, Vallandigham became a martyr to his cause and was nominated for governor by the Democratic Party in 1863. He ran the race from exile. The stakes in this colorful campaign were enormous, and Lincoln was highly involved, worrying that a Vallandigham victory would be seen as a rejection of the war by voters. That could have been devastating to the Union cause. Many historians wonder if it all started over their disagreement about canned tomatoes:
My dear friend, let me tell you why canned tomatoes are so great.
Firstly, canned tomatoes are a testament to human ingenuity and innovation. They are the result of years of hard work by farmers, food scientists, and engineers who sought to preserve the bounty of the tomato harvest for year-round consumption.
Secondly, canned tomatoes are incredibly versatile. They can be used in a wide range of dishes, from hearty stews to refreshing salads. They add depth and flavor to sauces, soups, and casseroles, and can even be used as a base for homemade ketchup.
Thirdly, canned tomatoes are a healthy and nutritious addition to any diet. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help boost the immune system, protect against disease, and promote overall health and wellness.
Finally, canned tomatoes are a symbol of resilience and perseverance. Just as the tomato plant can weather storms and overcome adversity, so too can we as individuals and as a society. In the face of challenges and difficulties, we can draw strength and inspiration from the humble tomato, and its enduring legacy of nourishment and sustenance.
So, my dear friend, I hope you now understand why canned tomatoes are so great. They are a testament to human ingenuity, versatility, health, and resilience, and are truly one of nature’s greatest gifts to humanity.
What is lycopene, and are there any health benefits associated with it? Dietitian Sharon Palmer explains this fascinating antioxidant and why you should consume more of it.
Maybe there’s a reason superheroes wear red capes! Lycopene [pronounced lie-kuh-peen], the naturally occurring compound that gives tomatoes their rich red color, has some pretty super powers. Natural chemical reactions in your body create free radicals, which move around the body setting off chain reactions that can damage cells and promote disease. Lycopene is an antioxidant compound in tomatoes that destroys these free radicals. Like other antioxidants, it has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.
According to the American Cancer Society, lycopene helps prevent damage to our genes. Eating plenty of lycopene-rich foods, like tomato products (canned tomatoes, marinara sauce, salsa, and tomato soup), may lower risk of lung cancer and could protect against aggressive prostate cancer. Studies also show that people who eat plenty of plant foods rich in carotenoid antioxidants like lycopene have a lower risk of heart disease.
While this powerful antioxidant can also be found in foods like pink grapefruit, watermelon and papaya, around 80% of the lycopene in the American diet comes from tomatoes and tomato products. Cooking tomatoes makes lycopene more available to the body, so marinara sauce and tomato soup actually have more lycopene than the same amount of fresh tomatoes (see chart). Eating your tomatoes with a little fat, like a drizzle of olive oil or a slice of avocado, also increases the amount of lycopene your body can absorb.
It’s better to get lycopene from food, not supplements. There are other compounds in foods like tomatoes that may help lycopene do its health-protecting work (every hero needs sidekicks!). So try these tips to get more mighty lycopene in your diet:
Enjoy red sauce, like marinara or spicy Arrabbiata, on whole grain pasta.
Pour salsa on burritos and tacos.
Add tomato puree to vegetable soups, stews or chili.
Serve tomato soup with a salad or sandwich for a quick, easy meal.
Try canned tomatoes in sandwich fillings, casseroles, dips, and curry dishes.
Drink a small glass of tomato juice with a savory meal.
Villainous free radicals are at work in your body every day. Call on lycopene’s antioxidant power to help protect your cells!
PEISCH SF, VAN BLARIGAN EL, CHAN JM, STAMPFER MJ, KENFIELD SA. PROSTATE CANCER PROGRESSION AND MORTALITY: A REVIEW OF DIET AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS. WORLD JOURNAL OF UROLOGY. 2017 JUN; 35(6): 867-874. HTTPS://WWW.NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV/PMC/ARTICLES/PMC5472048/
Get the scoop on Tomato Wellness member, Los Gatos Tomatoes. We are proud to have this company as part of the Tomato Wellness Family!
For over three decades, Los Gatos Tomato Products has earned a reputation for their commitment to customers and the environment as an industry-leading supplier of high-quality tomato paste. Their strong commitment to the industry, coupled with a focus on long-term relationships with customers and growers, make it an honor to profile this Tomato Wellness founding member.
Los Gatos Tomato Products was established in 1991 in the heart of Western Fresno County with the objective of growing and harvesting tomatoes from the most productive growing region in the world with a singular focus on producing high-quality tomato paste. Presently, four families with multi-generational farming operations and deep roots in agriculture serve as both committed growers and owners with shared values and commitment to a sustainable future.
The location of the processing facility is environmentally advantageous because of the short transit time from field to processing, with the majority of tomatoes grown within a close proximity to the plant. Long term relationships with growers and customers allows for alignment in the production of high-quality tomato paste tailored to customer needs and specifications.
The dedicated team at Los Gatos Tomato Products has built their reputation on quality and consistency over the years. Their customers have come to rely on a trusted supply of high-quality tomato paste for their products.
We applaud the values of Los Gatos Tomato Products as an authentically quality and sustainably minded processor and appreciate their contributions to our industry.
Try one of their tomato products in some of our favorite recipes!
After 15 years, Aaron Barcellos the Chairman of the Tomato Products Wellness Council is stepping down. We thank him for all of his efforts on behalf of the whole USA tomato products industry. We have dealt with a number of highs and lows and the state of the TPWC is bigger and stronger than ever. A big part of that is thanks to Aaron and our whole board of voluntary members that do the heavy lifting for the whole industry. Without this collaborative effort, the USA tomato products industry would not be as strong as it is today.
Aaron is a partner with his family farming operation A-Bar Ag Enterprises in Firebaugh California, and is a fourth-generation farmer. His family started in Dairy but now his farm produces crops, including pistachios, cotton, olives, pomegranates, and (his favorite) tomatoes. He’s been featured on all the major networks for his insight into the long-standing California drought, and he was featured in a podcast during the lockdown about what it meant for farmers. He’s also leading the next generation of farmers forward and Tomato Wellness has featured his nephew Jake several times for field updates.
National Canned Food Month is a great opportunity to recognize the benefits and convenience of canned food, especially canned tomatoes. Restaurants and families can benefit from celebrating this occasion by highlighting the versatility, affordability, and long shelf life of canned tomatoes.
First and foremost, canned tomatoes are an incredibly versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to pasta sauces and salsas. They are also available in different forms, such as whole, diced, crushed, or pureed, making them easy to incorporate into any recipe. And they’re available ALL YEAR LONG! Because they’re packed and sealed at the peak of freshness, you can enjoy the taste of summer even in the cold and gloomy months (more on that in the next article from The New York Times).
Canned food is also on par with fresh fruit nutritionally, BUT in the unique case of tomatoes, the canned version actually is even better for you thanks to the heating process which releases the lycopene and makes it 2-3 X MORE bioavailable. This is a fantastic bonus for these delicious products that any Italian Grandmother is going to tell you is your best choice for cooking anyway!
Whether you are a restaurant looking to offer affordable and nutritious menu options, or a family looking for pantry staples that can be used in a variety of meals, canned foods are an excellent ingredient to feature all year long.
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