Canned tomatoes are a staple in dietitian Kim Galeaz’s pantry. Here’s why she thinks that this staple is great for around-the-clock eating while being perfect for every occasion.
Can you guess what item in Kim Galeaz’s pantry is so versatile that it works for every around-the-clock eating occasion, from breakfast, lunch and dinner, to snack party-time?
Canned tomatoes and all their forms: Diced. Petite diced. Diced with chilies. Crushed. Whole. Sauce. Salsa. Pizza sauce.
Versatility is just part of the reason Kim’s pantry is filled with numerous canned tomato products. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, her goal is to create recipes that blend great taste with good nutrition while being budget-friendly and nutrient-rich. That goal is easily met with canned tomato products because they are extremely nutritious, affordable, tasty and best of all, available all year long.
Kim particularly loves that canned tomatoes are actually more fresh than fresh red tomatoes. Why? Because canned tomatoes are picked and packed at their peak, then make it in that can within HOURS. All the nutrients are retained, making canned tomatoes a nutritious choice for almost any meal.
What could be more comforting than dipping bread into a bubbling hot dish of savory Marinara sauce laden with melted cheese? We’re not really sure, which is why this recipe for Cheesy Pizza Dip should be on your appetizer rotation this month. While it tastes decadent, you can feel good about eating it knowing that it’s good for you too.
In the winter, canned tomatoes make the absolute best dips because they are picked at the peak of ripeness and their summer flavor is locked in. (In fact, this is a secret that tomato growers have long been using to impress their party guests.) When you slow roast those canned tomatoes you concentrate their flavor even more as they become gorgeously browned and caramelized in the oven. Here, those glorious tomatoes are jarred up into a flavorful marinara sauce that serves as a healthful base for a flavor-packed party appetizer your guests will love. Serve with toasted bread and enjoy! While this Cheesy Pizza Dip may look simple, it’s filled with irresistible flavor that everyone is sure to enjoy!
Get the full recipe for Cheesy Pizza Dip from Ellie Krieger, RDN.
Check out these other delicious recipes from Ellie:
Many people purchase fresh produce over canned due to an assumption that it’s better for health. However, this is not always the case! Including canned foods (like fruit and veggies) in your diet can be an affordable and easy way to bump up the nutrient content in your diet. Learn more about how canned foods can be the ticket to a healthy diet.
It is no secret that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is good for you, as it’s associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. However, purchasing abundant quantities of fresh produce may not be feasible for people and can be their biggest barrier to consuming a healthy diet. Additionally, many people view processed vegetables as less nutritious or even unsafe. However, this is a false notion. Processing foods does not automatically imply that it becomes healthy–in fact, it can improve digestibility, nutrient bioavailability, and food safety [1].
You may be asking yourself how canned tomatoes can be part of a healthy diet. After all, did you know that tomatoes are the second most consumed vegetable in the USA [1]? This could be due to their affordability, versatility, and nutritionally dense content from lycopene. This flavonoid provides many benefits, including anti-inflammatory and caner fighting properties. Canned tomatoes have a higher lycopene content than their fresh counterparts because of the canning process. When tomatoes are heated it increases the lycopene content thanks to the cells inside of the tomatoes exploding during the heating process [1]. This allows them to release their compounds which can then be absorbed by our body and used to fight disease!
The next time you stock up on canned goods, don’t forget to pick up a few cans of tomatoes to boost flavor and health! After all, canned foods can be part of a healthy diet.
Learn more about the health benefits of canned tomatoes here:
Wu, X., Yu, L., & Pehrsson, P. R. (2021, October 19). Are processed tomato products as nutritious as fresh tomatoes? scoping review on the effects of industrial processing on nutrients and bioactive compounds in tomatoes. OUP Academic. Retrieved December 16, 2021, from https://academic.oup.com/advances/advance-article/doi/10.1093/advances/nmab109/6403479?login=true
Looking for a plant-based ingredient to add that creaminess factor to your soup? Try using walnuts in this Creamy California Walnut and Tomato Soup. This is a classic recipe, made completely plant-based. Try serving it alongside a grilled cheese for the ultimate combo!
This soup gets its beautiful color from crushed tomatoes. When blended with the unique addition of walnut cream, it creates a rich orange color that is bursting with nutrition. The red pigment within tomatoes comes from a nutrient called lycopene, which is a powerhouse antioxidant with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. The lycopene content found in canned tomatoes allows this ingredient to be one of the most useful, healthy additions to just about any meal. Since canned tomatoes have even MORE nutritional value than fresh tomatoes, they provide a powerful impact on human health.
What are some of your favorite superfoods? If tomatoes aren’t on that list, then they should be! From cancer-fighting properties to anti-inflammatory benefits, here are some reasons why tomatoes are the new superfood.
When you think of the word superfood what comes to mind? Is it a tomato? Tomatoes are such a commonly eaten food filled with so much nutritional power, yet you may not think of them as a superfood. Not only are tomatoes packed with flavor, but they are also filled with important nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, calcium and more! One of the most important nutrients that truly makes the tomato a superfood is lycopene.
Lycopene is a powerhouse nutrient because it’s an antioxidant that has been shown to fight chronic disease. In the body, lycopene is mostly stored in the liver, adrenals, prostate, and can also be found in other parts of the body like the brain and skin [1]. As we age or develop chronic diseases, lycopene bioavailability decreases [1]. It is important to continually consume foods that are rich in lycopene such as tomatoes to supply our body with a steady source. Lycopene has been proven to have anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties [1]. Additionally, canned tomatoes are shown to have a higher lycopene content than their fresh counterpart. This is due to the heating process that tomatoes undergo during the canning process, as it activates the lycopene and allows your body to absorb and use it more readily.
So, what are you waiting for? The next time you’re at the store go ahead and grab a can (or three) of some canned tomato products to use in the kitchen this week. Need some recipe inspiration? Try out some of our favorites:
Imran, M., Ghorat, F., Ul-Haq, I., Ur-Rehman, H., Aslam, F., Heydari, M., Shariati, M. A., Okuskhanova, E., Yessimbekov, Z., Thiruvengadam, M., Hashempur, M. H., & Rebezov, M. (2020, August 4).Lycopene as a natural antioxidant used to prevent human health disorders. MDPI. Retrieved December 16, 2021, from https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/9/8/706/htm
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