It’s true. You can find tomatoes year-round at your local grocery store. But they’re never as nutritious and delicious as when they are in season. July through September is the time to really take advantage of all the great taste and health benefits that are stored in this diverse… fruit! That’s right, tomatoes are considered a fruit. Read on to find out more interesting facts about tomatoes.

So many have categorized tomatoes as a vegetable used for pizza, spaghetti sauce, and other great Italian dishes. In fact, the botanical category is a fruit. And another fact is this ingredient found so much in Italian kitchens is actually native to the western side of South America. Spanish conquistadors were the first to introduce tomatoes to Europe.

Another interesting tomato fact… people hardly ever ate them because they were believed to be poisonous. In fact, the greens and leaves or tomatoes contain toxic alkaloids so they are not eaten. But we’re sure people were pleasantly surprised to realize they could actually eat the tomato itself.

Tomatoes are very diverse. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. They aren’t sweet like normal fruits but do have a subtle sweetness mixed with a slight bitter and acidic taste. But cooked tomatoes do taste sweeter.

When going to buy or pick your tomatoes, make sure they are deep in color, well-shaped and smooth-skinned. There should be no wrinkles, bruises, spots, or cracks. Ripe tomatoes will yield to slight pressure and have a sweet fragrance. Store at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. It will keep for about a week. Place in the refrigerator is you need it to last a couple more days.

Lycopene is one of the biggest factors in tomatoes health benefits. These carotenoids has antioxidant benefits to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage. It also helps prevent heart disease. Lycopene also has cancer-preventing properties with cancers such as colorectal, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung and pancreatic.

Tomatoes are also excellent sources of vitamins A, C and K; a very good source of fiber and fiber; and a good source of niacin, vitamin B6, and folate. It aids in the reductions of heart disease risk and helps lower cholesterol level.

So the next time you’re going to buy a tomato, remember these interesting facts. And be sure to really make use of them when they are truly in season to get the full healthy benefits and flavorful taste.

Photo Credits: Sayan Samana / FreeDigitalPhotos.net; Paul / FreeDigitalPhotos.net