Is it true or false that eating tomatoes raw has drawbacks? Let's take a look. Tomatoes, also known as Western plums or foreign tomatoes, originated in South America. Legend has it that a British duke brought them to Europe during his travels in the 16th century, though they may have entered China from the west, hence the name "foreign tomato." Tomatoes can be eaten raw, stir-fried, juiced, or made into sauce.According to traditional Chinese medicinal diet theory, tomatoes are slightly cold in nature with sweet and sour flavors. They enter the spleen, stomach, and liver meridians. They nourish yin and generate fluids, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and calm the liver while clearing heat. They are suitable for symptoms like loss of appetite and thirst due to stomach heat caused by yin deficiency from feverish illnesses.Modern medical analysis reveals tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, containing 11mg per 100g—2.5 times more than apples. Their vitamin B3 content also ranks among the highest in fruits and vegetables. Additionally, they contain 0.31mg of carotene, along with calcium, phosphorus, iron, and significant trace elements.
However, during tomato cultivation, insufficient ultraviolet light in the air or irrigation water contaminated with Salmonella in the soil may cause the tomato skin to become contaminated with Salmonella. If not thoroughly washed, this can lead to Salmonella infection, resulting in fever and diarrhea.Experts have also detected nicotine in tomatoes, though this does not affect their status as a healthy, edible vegetable. Scientists have found that the nicotine content in tomatoes is negligible and poses no risk to human health under normal circumstances. However, to ripen tomatoes artificially, a chemical called ethylene is typically applied to green tomatoes.Ethylene, chemically known as 2-chloroethyl phosphate, is a plant growth regulator classified as low toxicity. Nevertheless, prolonged consumption of such tomatoes raw is harmful.
Japanese scholars and experts have discovered that fresh tomatoes contain deadly solanine. While solanine isn't immediately lethal, it gradually accumulates in the body. So when you think you're consuming lycopene, you might also be ingesting solanine? Subsequently, British scholars presented reliable evidence: at an Australian tomato farm, workers have died from solanine poisoning over decades.In the United States, tomatoes are classified as vegetables, not fruits, and are typically cooked before consumption. I understand that unripe tomatoes contain dangerous toxins, and cooked tomatoes are the most nutritious. In short, it's best to cook tomatoes before eating them.
That concludes our discussion on whether eating raw tomatoes is harmful or not. We hope you now have a clearer understanding. Finally, we sincerely wish you good health and happiness.