Tomato Facts

The following 10 facts about tomatoes will give you an idea about the tomato family along with closely related plants, nutritional value and health benefits of eating tomatoes.

1. The tomato comes from the same family as the potato, aubergine, tobacco, peppers and weirdly, the deadly nightshade or Belladonna.
2. Although usually found in the vegetable section in the supermarket, the tomato is acutally a fruit.
3. Even though the tomato is grown as an annual in temperate climates such as the United Kingdom, it is actually a perennial, growing from 1 to 3 metres high.
4. It is a native of South America but the tomato wasn't eaten in Britain until the late 16th century, becoming widely eaten by the middle of the 18th century.
5. Tomatoes come in various sizes ranging from the tiny "cherry" tomato, around 1 -2 cm in size, right up to the "beefsteak" tomato which can be a whopping 10 cm or more in diameter.
6. Tomatoes come in a wide range of colours from almost white to nearly black.
7. When tomatoes are cooked they contain a powerful natural antioxident - Lycopene. In some studies Lycopene has been shown to be benficial in helping to prevent prostate cancer and other research has shown that it can help protect the skin against harmfull UV rays.
8. The leaves and stem of the tomato are poisonous. Only the fruit can be eaten.
9. There are around 7,500 different varieties of tomato.
10. The largest tomato producer in the world is China which produces around a quarter of the world's output.