Tomatoes are the red gold of the garden. A lot of people have bumper crops this year. They are slowing down with the heat, but we still have another week or two of fresh tomatoes for sure. If we’re lucky a couple of the plants may stay alive for a fall harvest.
After the harvest today, I made fresh pasta sauce, picante sauce, roasted tomatoes, and dried tomatoes. It’s nice to have a variety of tomato products to choose from!
Let’s talk about what makes tomatoes so good for us. Lycopene, the substance that gives tomatoes that red color, helps cells communicate better and helps prevent cellular damage. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “the strongest known dietary risk factor for prostate cancer (is a) lycopene deficit.” Lycopene may help with blood pressure, inflammation, plaque formation (in blood vessels), and cardiovascular disease. It is found in other rosy fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, pink guava, red bell pepper and papaya.