Tomato Only one hundred years ago, tomatoes could not be bought in markets. Only fifty years ago, there were still people who were afraid to eat them, because they were red! The tomato is used as a vegetable, but technically it is a berry. The plant is a hairy trailing annual, and the berry (the tomato) is designed to attract animals. Its seeds pass right through their digestive systems, which helps to disperse them for germination.

Botanical Family The tomato belongs to the Solanaceae family, and so is related to the potato, aubergine, capsicum, and chilli. The word tomato comes from the Spanish tomate, which in turn comes from the Aztec word, tumatl.   History The tomato plant was not known outside of South America until the 16th centur, when the Spanish conquistadors took some seeds back to Spain. A Spanish priest grew them in his monastery garden, where a visiting Moor saw and admired the plant, taking it to Morocco and from there an Italian sailor took them to Italy. The Italians called it pomo'doro (golden apple) which indicates that the yellow variety was most common. Slowly it was accepted as a food crop, gaining popularity once it gained a reputation as an aphrodisiac. The French called it pomme d'amor, or apple of love. In England at this time, they were grown as a curiosity, not as a food. On the whole, they were regarded with suspicion, as the plant belonged to the same family as the deadly nightshade. Their red colour was believed to be nature's way of warning. It wasn't until the end of the 19th century that tomatoes were accepted as a food.   Food Value Tomatoes are a very good source of Vitamin A, which is needed for healthy tissue and proper healing. Just 25g (1/4 lb) fulfills the recommended daily requirement. They are also a good source of Vitamin C and B complex, and of Vitamin K, which makes them a diuretic and detoxicant. They are a natural antiseptic and protect against infection. Unlike green vegetables, tomatoes lose little nutritional content in cooking.   Search our recipe database for tomato.

Bibliography Bianchini, F; Corbetta, F; et al. The Complete Book of Fruits and Vegetables [English Translation] (New York: Crown, 1976) Francis, C. The Complete Tomato [Australian Edition] (Sydney: William Collins: 1982)