The water content of tomatoes is about 95%. The other 5% is mainly composed of carbohydrates and fiber. A medium-sized tomato contains only 22 calories.

carbohydrate

Carbohydrate accounts for 4% of raw tomatoes, and its content is less than 5 grams for tomatoes of average size. Monosaccharides, such as glucose and fructose, account for almost 70% of carbohydrate content. Tomatoes are a good source of fiber, and each tomato provides about 1.5g on average. Most fibers in tomatoes are insoluble, hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin.

Vitamins and minerals

Tomatoes are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, accounting for 1% of raw tomatoes.

Other plant compounds

The contents of vitamins and phytochemicals in different tomato varieties and sampling periods vary greatly. The main plant compounds in tomatoes are listed below. Chlorophyll and carotenoids are the reasons for the color of tomatoes. When the ripening process begins, chlorophyll is degraded and carotenoids are synthesized. Of all the plant compounds found in tomatoes, lycopene deserves special attention. Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in mature tomatoes and the highest in tomato skins. According to experience, the redder the tomato, the more lycopene. Tomato sauce, tomato juice and tomato sauce are the richest dietary sources of lycopene, providing more than 80% of lycopene. Dietary lycopene in America. The content of lycopene in processed tomato products is usually much higher than that in fresh tomatoes. For example, tomato sauce contains10-14mg/100g, while fresh tomatoes only contain 1-8 mg/ 100 g of lycopene. Other foods in the diet may have a great influence on the absorption of lycopene in the digestive system. Eating with fat can increase absorption by four times. However, there are some individual differences, and not everyone absorbs lycopene at the same speed. Although the content of lycopene in processed tomato products is high, it is still recommended to eat fresh whole tomatoes as much as possible.