by Tomato Wellness | Apr 1, 2021 | Food and Nutrition
Earth Month is a great time to reflect on your choices and better your habits to improve the environment. Learn how you can help the planet with your fork!
Happy Earth Month! If you weren’t aware, April is the month where we raise awareness for sustainability, food waste, and taking care of our planet. While this should be something we do year-round, this month is a great time to reflect on your choices and better your habits to improve the planet’s health. Whether you have been focused on your carbon footprint for awhile now, or if you’re looking to begin your sustainability journey, this is the perfect time for everyone to put some extra love towards our planet. You can do this by learning how to lessen food waste, and while this may seem like an overwhelming task at first, it’s actually quite simple. You can start by eating with your fork! When you choose foods that are sustainable and eco-friendly, you better the environment with each bite you take. It doesn’t get much better than that!
When looking for sustainable foods, turn to canned, nonperishable items (such as canned beans, fruits, and vegetables) for an affordable, earth-friendly option. That’s why we love canned tomatoes! Not only are they versatile and delicious, but they are also an incredible sustainable food, as they don’t need as much energy as fresh tomatoes to refrigerate and transport. Since fresh tomatoes are generally grown in Mexico (which requires longer transportation distances) or in heated, energy-intensive greenhouses, they are not as sustainable-friendly as their canned counterparts. On the other hand, canned tomatoes are generally stored in steel cans when they reach their seasonal peak, which means that these cans are 100% recyclable, and the tomatoes stay nutritious! That’s a win all around! In addition to their sustainability factor, canned tomatoes also have a long shelf life, which makes them the perfect pantry item to have on hand. Whether you’re looking for a sweet or savory dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, canned tomatoes are a staple to have in the kitchen. This allows you to save time and money on those busy weeknights when you need to prepare a meal for the whole family, and there are countless flavorful and nutrient-rich recipes to choose from!
Considering food waste is also vital when it comes to improving environmental health. According to Feeding America, approximately $218 billion worth of food in the USA is thrown away each year! So, what can you do to offset this number? When it comes to purchasing foods, you should think a bit more about how you can utilize what you buy (i.e. create leftovers or meal prep) and what types of food are going to provide better use in the kitchen. Feeding America states that canned foods are much less likely to be wasted, as the canning process requires less resources, time, and money, which means less energy and water is used to make the product ready for purchase. What you choose to eat each day plays a part in food waste, and by making small changes in your daily life (like using canned foods instead of fresh foods), you can make a difference.
By practicing sustainable methods in your home this month (and throughout the year), you have the power to impact your community and help restore our planet’s health. So, what are you waiting for? Encourage your friends and family to take part of Earth Day with some actionable methods! Learn more about how you can help here.
by Tomato Wellness | Mar 28, 2021 | Health
Can you really improve sleep quality with tomatoes? New research is emerging that shows you can get better shut-eye by consuming tomatoes! Read on for how you can improve your sleep habits.
Busy lifestyles, lengthy to-do lists, and hectic work schedules can really put a damper on your sleep habits. Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed may contribute to sleep deprivation, which can result in negative impacts towards overall mental, emotional, and physical health. So, what can you do to improve your sleep quality?
Researchers feel that consuming certain tomato products may contribute to better sleep! This study from The Clinical Nutrition Journal showed that tomatoes can accelerate urinary aMT6s levels in obese postmenopausal women and improve the quality of their sleep. The method of this study included the observation of how beefsteak tomato, black tomato, and commercial tomato juices relate to the impacts that melatonin has on the human body. The results of the study showed that the beefsteak tomato had the highest amount of melatonin, which made it the most effective in regards to sleep quality. This randomized controlled dietary intervention trial took place in the span of 8 weeks and consisted of 36 participants. Within this group of individuals, some were placed into the “tomato group” while others were not. For 8 weeks, the tomato group consumed 250 grams of beefsteak tomatoes approximately 2 hours before they went to sleep. After the 8 weeks were completed, urine and blood samples were collected in order to determine the outcome of the study through valid and accurate data. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) of the tomato group who consumed the beefsteak tomatoes prior to sleep improved their aMT6s level and sleep quality. In comparison to the control group, the tomato group was significantly higher in these levels, suggesting that the ingestion of tomato can provide natural melatonin to the body for obese postmenopausal women seeking better quality of sleep.
So, why not consume more tomato products this week before bedtime? A couple of hours before you turn in for the night, eat a delicious meal full of tomato products; this will give melatonin time to circulate throughout your body and improve your sleep quality. You may be surprised at the results!
For other tomato news, check out:
Top 11 Reasons to Go Red with Tomato Products
Can Tomatoes Help Your Kid Eat More Veggies?
What is Lycopene?
Health Connection Between Tomatoes and Lycopene
by Tomato Wellness | Mar 19, 2021 | Media Recipe, Recipes
For a delicious and nutritious experience, try out this simple recipe for Pan Seared Pork Chops with Bourbon Peach Compote. We love that this recipe features sweet peaches, tangy tomatoes, and savory pork chops, because they all come together perfectly to create a delectable main dish. Whether you’re looking for a meal to impress a first date or a tasty dinner for your family, this recipe is sure to impress everyone around the table.
When it comes to nutrition, this recipe is teeming with health benefits! Pork is the main protein source here, and this lean meat is a good source of thiamin, selenium, niacin, vitamin B-6, zinc, riboflavin and potassium. Canned Tri-Color Tomatoes take on a starring role in this dish, providing both nutrition and flavor. When it comes to canned tomatoes, lycopene is certainly the star of the show, as it has been shown to help lower the risk of heart disease, prostate cancer and macular degeneration. So, what are you waiting for? Head into the kitchen and try this recipe out for yourself!
Get the full recipe for Pan Seared Pork Chops with Bourbon Peach Compote by visiting our friends at Pacific Coast Producers.
For other delicious recipes, check out some of our favorites:
Chipotle Tomato Rice POWER Bowl
Swiss Chard Pecan Lasagna
Black Bean Corn Chili
by Tomato Wellness | Mar 16, 2021 | Health, News
What’s the health connection between tomatoes and lycopene? Researchers performed a review of 174 articles to determine the health outcomes associated with tomato and lycopene. In May 2020, this study provided evidence which supports the claim that consumption of tomatoes and lycopene are linked to numerous health benefits. Tomato intake has similar health effects to lycopene intake, as they are both inversely associated with mortality, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and heart diseases. There are a few variations between tomato and dietary lycopene intake: tomato products are inversely associated with cerebrovascular disease mortality and gastric cancer, while lycopene is inversely associated with stroke and male infertility.
Fresh tomatoes are not the only tomato products that are nutrient-rich and contain lycopene. In fact, canned tomatoes, marinara sauce, salsa, and even tomato soup have a slightly higher amount of lycopene in them due to the cooking and canning process they undergo. Similar to most nutrients, it’s more natural to obtain lycopene from foods rather than supplements. In order to achieve maximum health benefits associated with lycopene, it is recommended to consume tomato products with a heart healthy fat, such as olive oil or avocado. That’s why we recommend enjoying lycopene and its health benefits through delicious foods such as lasagna, curries, and bolognese. So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy some canned tomato products today!
For other tomato news, check out:
Top 11 Reasons to Go Red with Tomato Products
Can Tomatoes Help Your Kid Eat More Veggies?
What is Lycopene?
by Tomato Wellness | Mar 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
Comic Book gals with golden lariats and invisible airplanes had nothing on this TRUE heroine whose Super Power was feeding the nation and the world the ripest, freshest tomato grown in American soil.
The Tomato Queen survived the 1918-1919 Spanish flu Pandemic and created her global business success plan while recovering from her Brooklyn tenement sick bed. She did lose her little Mom & Pop family business to the flu.
Instead of crying about it, she decided to go bigger with her bother-in-law and his investor to create an Italian Import business she called Mosalina Products. The canned tomatoes became a huge focus for her idea “what do people really need.”
She began her studies of the Italian favorite, the San Marzano, in the 1920’s at Brooklyn’s Botanical Gardens research facilities and determined the San Marzano would likely grow in a Mediterranean climate similar to that of Naples, Italy. Tillie believed the Central Valley of California might be just the place.
By 1934, the bright, brave, and beautiful New Yorker was growing tomatoes at her new company, FLOTILL, smack in the midst of the great depression, offering good jobs to men and women based upon good character and NOT race, faith, or gender.
Tillie Lewis was soon the largest packer of tomatoes in the country. The 5th largest canner of other products, but the ONLY cannery owned and operated by a woman.
Tomato sauce, paste, juice, pizza sauces, catsup, became healthier still when Tillie created the Tasti-Diet. Tillie also looked ahead to “What’s Next?” even teaching American’s how to save money and product during war time by turning thick rich tomato paste into juice and sauces to keep our country eating healthy no matter what.
American war contracts kept Tillie Lewis packing good food for our soldiers. After the war, she was asked to assist Israel’s Moshe Dayan and Ariel Sharon in starting tomato success in Israel. At President Lyndon Johnson’s request, Tillie Lewis was the 1st woman to serve as US Ambassador in the Global Hunger Summit. Tillie Lewis reminded the world, “Food will grow 365 days a year somewhere in the world. It is our job, as agriculturalists, to feed the globe.”
Time and again. Tillie Lewis reminded herself that she owed all of her success to a TOMATO.
The truth is, this real live Wonder Woman turned her life from Tenements to Tomato Queen by knowing everything is possible when we choose a positive path and never, ever give up. What better path than feeding our bodies and minds with great nutrition?
Tillie Lewis: The Tomato Queen on Amazon & Kindle
By,
Kyle Elizabeth Wood
Historian/Teacher/Author/Speaker
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