Cherry tomatoes can serve not only as a tasty ingredient in salads, but also with their help you can decorate various dishes. In fact, this vegetable gained great popularity in the middle of the last century, as in South America different varieties were grown.
Today, modern agronomists have managed to grow many other varieties, which are characterized by their sweet taste and long shelf life, which only increases the popularity of cherry tomatoes.
In shape they can be round, elongated or teardrop-shaped, and in color - orange, red or pink. On average, a cherry tomato weighs 20-30 g, and one twig can contain up to about 20 fruit and reach a length of 1 meter. Their taste is very rich and even in some you can distinguish the flavors of fruit and vegetables at the same time. These small tomatoes ripen quickly and are very unpretentious, so you can grow cherry tomatoes even on your terrace.
Beneficial properties of cherry tomatoes
- They are extremely rich in minerals, including the group of water-soluble vitamins, organic acids, antioxidants. In terms of their nutrients, they are ahead of even ordinary red tomatoes;
- These small varieties are low in calories (about 22 kcal per 100 grams), and thanks to the chromium they contain, they quickly satisfy hunger;
- They are rich in potassium, which is very beneficial in the fight against cardiovascular disease;
- They help get rid of excess fluids in the body and because of that cherry tomatoes are very beneficial for people who want to lose weight;
- The trace element iron is very good for low hemoglobin in the blood, for example in iron deficiency anemia;
- Phosphorus, magnesium and calcium help to restore and improve the metabolism in the body, as well as strengthen the bone system. At the same time, they are good for combating tingling and itching;
- They are rich in fat-soluble vitamins, which, in turn, help absorb calcium from the body and also improve the kidney function;
- The antioxidant lycopene, which is responsible for the color of cherry tomatoes, is a powerful helper in the fight against cancer of the digestive and respiratory systems, and also helps in the treatment of cardiovascular disease;
- They are also rich in serotonin, which is better known as the hormone of happiness. It helps to fight depression, anxiety and neurosis;
- They are rich in fiber and do not contain cholesterol, which is especially important for people who have problems with the cardiovascular system.
Contraindications to the consumption of cherry tomatoes
- If you have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, then you should be especially careful with the consumption of cherry tomatoes, as the acids contained in them can irritate the mucous membranes of internal organs.
This will be especially difficult if you have had a stomach ulcer and are now recovering, including stages of remission. However, experts believe that you can consume them in small quantities and not every day (50-100 g);
- If you have an individual intolerance to them, especially for people with allergies to all red fruit;
- If you suffer from gallstones, then cherry tomatoes are contraindicated for you.
How to properly store cherry tomatoes?
When choosing them, you should pay special attention to the aroma. As a rule, with quality and ripe vegetables you will sense a pleasant specific aroma of tomatoes. However, the absence of aroma indicates that the cherry tomatoes were plucked while still unripe or even green. The same applies to abnormalities in the structure and color of the green part.
Buying unripe vegetables, will not harm your body, but you will not get any beneficial trace elements from them. In this case, it is better to subject them to heat treatment. Also pay attention to external damage or stains. It is recommended to buy cherry tomatoes on a twig and not to divide them among themselves until you cook or add them to salads.
It does not make much sense to buy them during the winter months, because at this time of year they are poorer in nutrients, but also have a different taste as a result of unnatural storage conditions.
They can be stored fresh for quite a long time - about 10-15 days. They are not inferior to ordinary tomatoes and can be canned.
It is no coincidence that the miniature cherry tomatoes are everyone's favorite - apart from the purely aesthetic side, they have many beneficial properties and are rich in various vitamins, minerals and nutrients. They are not capricious in their cultivation and can be added not only to your favorite salads, but also to various other dishes.
