PHOTOGRAPHS SAM FOLAN
Tomatoes are easy to love – for their taste, their colour and their health credentials. The British season continues well into September (which you’ll know if you grow your own), and we can’t get enough of ’em. Luckily, Claire Thomson has a glut of healthy recipes that make the most of this glorious ingredient
FOOD STYLING CLAIRE THOMSON AND MATT WILLIAMSON STYLING FAYE WEARS
TOMATOES THE HEALTH CREDS
Tomatoes with peaches, grapes, feta and oregano
WORDS: SUE QUINN
Luscious to eat and cook with, tomatoes are also a gift to your body
THE MOST COMMON COLOUR Ripe red varieties are a rich source of a red pigment called lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant – acompound that protects cells from damage. Studies have linked lycopene to improved skin health and a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. Lycopene is fat soluble and better absorbed by the body when eaten with fat, so pair tomatoes with things like olive oil, cheese and avocado to maximise the health benefits.
Heat can destroy some of the nutrients in tomatoes, such as vitamin C, but we absorb more lycopene from cooked than from raw fruit. To make the most of all the health benefits, mix it up and eat tomatoes raw as well as cooked.
…BUT OTHER COLOURS ARE GOOD FOR YOU TOO Only red tomatoes contain lycopene, but other colours have health benefits, too. Orange toms are rich in beta carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, and yellow varieties contain lutein, both of which support good vision and eye health.
Baked tomatoes and eggs with basil, chilli and parmesan
“This is exactly the sort of breakfast or brunch I’d like to have after a very late night – it’s effortless to pull together, looks inviting and demands to be eaten”