Tomato Recipes and Cooking Information

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Tomatoes

Part 4: Tomato gender benders

More of this Feature

• Part 1: Tomato history and trivia
• Part 2: Fruit or vegetable?
• Part 3: Tomato selection and storage
• Part 4: Male or female tomatoes
• Part 5: Tomato tips, hints and equivalents
• Part 6: Tomato Recipes

Related Resources

• Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• More Vegetable Articles
• A to Z Food Index

Recipes

• Amish Tomato Ketchup
• Chunky Salsa
• Fresh Tomato Bisque
• Tomato & Basil Gouda Fondue
• More Tomato Recipes
• Main Recipe Index

Related Cookbooks

• You Say Tomato
• The Tomato Cookbook
• Tomato: The Indispensible Guide to Tomatoes
• The Great Tomato Book
• Fifty-Two Great Green Tomato Recipes
• More Cookbooks

Male or female tomatoes?
My grandmother used to swear she could tell a male from a female tomato, thinking one is more sweet and with more or less seeds. Well, she was partially right. Truth be told, there's no such thing as a boy or girl tomato. They are botanically perfect, meaning they can self-pollinate. However, a large scar on the blossom end can indicate less seeds, but simply because of underdevelopment due to less than desirable conditions. Size has nothing to do with sweetness or seed content.

Tomatoes and your health
In November, 1998, a press release from the Heinz Institute of Nutritional Sciences touted the benefits of lycopene, a dietary carotenoid found in high concentrations in processed tomato products, including ketchup and canned tomato products. Lycopene is an antioxidant which purportedly fights the free radicals that can interfere with normal cell growth and activity, potentially leading to cancer, heart disease and premature aging. Tomatoes are also high in vitamin C (concentrated the most in the juice sacs surrounding the seeds) and contain goodly amounts of potassium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin A and vitamin B. As a source of fiber, one medium tomato will equal one slice of whole wheat bread with a penalty of only 35 calories.

Although green tomatoes are wonderful when cooked or pickled, they should be avoided in large amounts when raw. Green tomatoes contain large amounts of solanine, a toxin also found in another member of the nightshade family, green potatoes. Unfortunately, the tomato is included in the top ten foods that most people are allergic to.

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