Tomato Products, a Sustainable Choice

by | Jun 6, 2020 | Uncategorized

Every time you open a can or jar of tomatoes, you release the essence of that warm, summer day in which those perfectly ripe tomatoes were harvested. These tomatoes are picked at their top flavor and nutrition peak on the field before they are quickly whisked away to the processing plant to be canned, sealing in all of that good flavor and nutrition within just a few hours of harvest.

Beyond good taste and nutrition, you also make a more sustainable choice by choosing those preserved tomatoes. Why is it a more sustainable choice than fresh? The fresh tomato crop is typically picked about two weeks before maturity to withstand transportation, during which it requires more energy to refrigerate and transport. In addition, many fresh tomatoes are grown in Mexico, requiring longer transportation distances, or in heated, energy-intensive greenhouses before reaching your supermarket shelf.

No wonder processed tomatoes can be a more sustainable option. Just look at the reasons why:

 

  • The cultivation of tomatoes results in a smaller environmental impact compared to other popular crops. An analysis of 20 common foods in the U.S. rated tomatoes as the second best food in terms of its greenhouse gas emissions (EWG).
  • Canned tomatoes have a lower environmental impact than fresh tomatoes, because they make use of tomatoes that cannot be sold as fresh, and storage and transportation is less intensive than for fresh tomatoes (Rocklinsberg & Sandin).
  • Canned tomatoes have a lower environmental impact than fresh tomatoes grown in heated greenhouses or from countries far away (Rocklinsberg & Sandin; Gibson, Farbotko, Grill, Head, & Waitt).
  • Food that is canned is food that is not wasted, which helps offset 72 million tons of food wasted in the U.S. (Feeding America).
  • The Environmental Working Group gives many tomato products their top scores in terms of nutrition, ingredients, and processing. For example, organic crushed tomatoes, organic whole peeled tomatoes, organic diced tomatoes, and organic stewed tomatoes received scores of 1.1 – 1.2, with 1.0 being the best and 10.0 being the worst (EWG).

 

 

  • Steel cans are 100% recyclable, over and over again, forever. An estimated 80-90% of all steel ever produced is still in use today. And about 71% of steel cans are recycled. (Can Manufacturers Institute)

Sharon Palmer tasting freshly harvested processing tomatoes in the fields in California.

 

REFERENCES:
CAN MANUFACTURERS INSTITUTE. RECYCLING FACTS. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTP://WWW.CANCENTRAL.COM/RECYCLING-SUSTAINABILITY/FACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP. FOOD SCORES CANNED TOMATOES. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTP://WWW.EWG.ORG/FOODSCORES/PRODUCTS?SEARCH=CANNED+TOMATOES
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP. MEAT EATERS GUIDE. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTP://WWW.EWG.ORG/MEATEATERSGUIDE/AT-A-GLANCE-BROCHURE/
FEEDING AMERICA. FIGHTING FOOD WASTE. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTP://WWW.FEEDINGAMERICA.ORG/OUR-WORK/REDUCE-FOOD-WASTE.HTML?GCLID=COMOR8XVKTMCFQ2FFGODQM0H7W?REFERRER=HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/
GIBSON, C., FARBOTKO, C., GILL, N., HEAD, L., & WAITT, G. 2013. HOUSEHOLD SUSTAINABILITY. CAMBERLEY, UK: EDWARD ELGAR PUBLISHING.
ROCKLINSBERG, H. & SANDIN, P. 2013. THE ETHICS OF CONSUMPTION. WAGENINGEN, NETHERLANDS: WAGENINGEN ACADEMIC PUBLISHE
Canned, cooked tomatoes can reduce the risk of prostate cancer

Canned, cooked tomatoes can reduce the risk of prostate cancer

by | Jun 3, 2020 | Health

Cooked tomatoes may reduce the risk of prostate cancer according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Loma Linda University Health.

Tomato Consumption and Intake of Lycopene as Predictors of the Incidence of Prostate Cancer: The Adventist Health Study-2, published in Cancer Causes and Control on Feb. 25, found that men who consumed canned and cooked tomatoes 5 to 6 times per week had a 28% decreased risk of prostate cancer compared with men who never consumed this food.

First author of the paper, Gary Fraser, MBChB, PhD, said the effect was still significant even after adjusting for a number of potential confounders, including ethnicity, education, obesity, exercise levels, alcohol consumption and others.

“Interestingly, the decreased risk was only seen in those men who ate canned and cooked tomatoes,” Fraser said.

To examine how tomato consumption might impact the development of prostate cancer, the researchers looked for significant relationships between diet and prostate cancer in nearly 28,000 Adventist men in the U.S.

All Adventist Health Study participants agree to fill out self-administered food frequency questionnaires reporting their average number of times per week they ate of approximately 200 foods and beverages and serving sizes. After tracking the study’s male participants — all of whom were cancer-free when they enrolled in the project — for nearly eight years, 1,226 of them had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, 355 of those as aggressive cases.

While all tomatoes and tomato-based products contain lycopene, other studies have shown that lycopene is absorbed at different rates depending on the product consumed. Lycopene bioavailability is higher when tomatoes have been heated or cooked, and especially if cooked with oil. Processing tomatoes in this way contributes to the separation of the lycopene from the carrier proteins.

This research suggests that it is particularly cooked tomatoes that may play a significant role in reducing a man’s risk for developing prostate cancer. It may be their lycopene content that is the active principle.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide. In the United States alone, there were an estimated 165,000 new cases of prostate cancer and nearly 30,000 deaths just in 2018. Since 1989, a research team at Loma Linda University Health has examined a number of dietary practices to see which offer promise in preventing chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Earlier research in the Adventist Health Study and several other projects internationally suggest high lycopene intake is associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer. Tomato and tomato-based products are of particular interest since they are major sources of the carotenoid lycopene.

Fraser, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Loma Linda University, said researchers will continue to look at various tomato products and their potential to reduce prostate cancer risk. “Still,” he added, “men concerned about developing prostate cancer could consider adding cooked and canned tomatoes to their diet on a regular basis.”

Original article from Loma Linda University

Read more about tomatoes here:

Tried and True Pantry Staples
Tackling Top 5 Myths About Tomato Products

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Tomatoes

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Tomatoes

by | Jun 2, 2020 | Media Recipe, Recipes

Looking for an easy, classic potato side-dish you can throw together in minutes? Well, here you go! This simple, flavorful 4-ingredient side dish for Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Tomatoes can be whipped up easy-peasy, out of ingredients you probably have in your pantry right now. The beauty of this vegetable and potato dish is that it calls upon three favorites—canned tomatoes, rosemary and potatoes. This 100% plant-based side-dish is the perfect accompaniment for savory dishes, such as lentil patties, chickpea loaf, and veggie balls. Plus it’s a great dish to tote along to your next potluck or even holiday dinner. Best of all, it’s an easy way to fit in a serving of healthful vegetables into your day!

The classic Mediterranean flavors of rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes are all alive and present in this satisfying dish. If you don’t have fresh rosemary available (which is one of the easiest herbs to grow in warm weather climates), used dried rosemary.

Spread tomatoes on top of potatoes and bake.

Yield: 6 servings

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Tomatoes

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Tomatoes

This simple, flavorful 4-ingredient side dish for Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and Tomatoes can be whipped up easy-peasy, out of ingredients you probably have in your pantry right now.

Ingredients

  • 6 medium red and/or gold potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Black pepper and salt, as desired (optional)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
    2. Slice unpeeled potatoes into thin wedges and place in a 9 × 13 inch baking dish.
    3. Spoon over garlic, canned diced tomatoes, olive oil, black pepper and salt (as desired), and rosemary. Toss to distribute ingredients using tongs or a spoon.
    4. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, until tender and golden brown. Stir ingredients every 20 minutes.
© Tomato Wellness

 

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake

by | May 27, 2020 | Recipes

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake from Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN, for Tomato Wellness
 
This easy casserole bake can be whipped together in minutes! Plus, this completely plant-based (vegan) Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake is based on foods you can keep on hand in your pantry: spelt (an ancient form of wheat kernels), canned chickpeas, canned marinated artichokes, marinara sauce, and olives. It’s savory, hearty and a one-dish meal. And with only 8 ingredients (not including pantry staples), this healthy, no-oil, no-salt, no-sugar whole foods, plant-based recipe is a cinch to turn to on your busiest nights of the weeks. With the Mediterranean flavors of chickpeas, ancient grains, artichokes, olives, tomatoes, and herbs, this recipe is powerful in flavor, and packed with important nutrients, such as plant protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals. Whip it up for a one-dish meal, and pack up the leftovers for work the next day. You can swap out the ingredients easily, too—try quinoa instead of spelt (which makes this recipe gluten-free), white beans instead of chickpeas, and green beans instead of peas, for example.

 

 

 
Yield: 6 servings

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake

This completely plant-based (vegan) Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake is based on foods you can keep on hand in your pantry.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups cooked spelt (according to package directions)
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
  • 1 12-ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • ½ cup olives, drained (i.e. Spanish, Kalamata)
  • ½ cup marinara sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Pinch black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon oregano

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
    2. Mix all ingredients together and place in a medium casserole dish.
    3. Place in oven, on top rack, uncovered, and bake for about 30 – 35 minutes, until golden brown and heated through.

Notes

To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute a gluten-free grain (quinoa, sorghum, brown rice) for spelt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6 servings

Serving Size:

1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 312mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 14gSugar: 9gProtein: 12g
© Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN

 

Ratatouille with White Beans

Ratatouille with White Beans

by | May 8, 2020 | Media Recipe, Recipes

Ratatouille with White Beans from Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN, for Tomato Wellness
 
A harvest from your summer vegetable garden or trip to the farmers market—and rummage through the kitchen cupboard—never looked so delicious! With one large saucepan and a few simple ingredients, this mouthwatering plant-based Ratatouille with White Beans is sure to satisfy any hearty appetite. The classic tradition of ratatouille takes full advantage of summery, sunshine-loving vegetables, such as zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers and herbs. The roots of this dish come from 18th century France in the Provence and Nice area. This Mediterranean recipe follows along with the principle of “making something of nothing.” Essentially, you create cuisine out of all of the beautiful things that grow in the region during a particular season. And those vegetables when paired together create absolute magic, though this is considered a humble, plant-based dish. But the best things in life are simple, rustic, and unassuming. Such as ratatouille!
 
 
I’m a huge fan of this dish, as I live in a Mediterranean grown region myself. I always have an abundance of zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and herbs in my garden every summer. So, it’s a cinch to whip up this recipe a couple of times a month during the season. I added a flourish of pine nuts and a can of white beans to boost the nutrition value of this dish. It is essentially a one dish meal, balanced with protein, healthy carbs, and nutrients. Pair it with some crusty, whole grain bread.
 
Yield: 4 servings

Ratatouille with White Beans

Ratatouille with White Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1  small onion, sliced
  • 1 small zucchini, sliced
  • 1 small eggplant, sliced
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (may use 2 cups fresh, chopped tomatoes)
  • 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed well (or 2 cups cooked)
  • 1/2 cup olives, drained
  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped or dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • Salt to taste (optional)
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

    1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add garlic, onion, zucchini, and eggplant, and sauté for about 8 minutes.
    2. Add tomatoes, white beans, olives, and oregano, stir well, and cover.
    3. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes (longer if using fresh tomatoes), stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, and mixture is thick and bubbly.
    4. Season with salt (optional) and pepper to taste. Garnish with pine nuts.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 165Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 192mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 7gSugar: 4 gProtein: 5g
© Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN