Do you throw away tomato seeds when preparing dishes with tomatoes? Don’t, say experts. That’s because tomato seeds are actually good for you! Thanks to the loads of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants present, consuming tomato seeds rather than ditching them allows you to enjoy the following:
Lowered Blood Pressure
One of the many nutrients found in tomato seeds is potassium, whose role in maintaining normal blood pressure is known to many. Potassium helps in warding off high blood pressure or hypertension by causing the walls of the blood vessels to relax. This results in the dilatation of the blood vessels and lowering of the blood pressure.
Normalized Cholesterol
There is also fiber present abundantly in tomato seeds. It’s for this reason why their inclusion in the diet can be beneficial for individuals whose bad cholesterol levels are off the charts. Surely, no one would want to have high levels of bad cholesterol in their bodies because it could increase their risk of heart disease.
Reduced Risk of Stroke
Notice the gooey substance around each and every tomato seed? Well, according to experts, it’s something that is very good at thinning the blood, just like aspirin. Thanks to the blood-thinning properties of tomato seeds, they can help lower a person’s risk of developing a blood clot that can impede the supply of oxygen to the brain.
Strengthened Immune System
Just like tomatoes themselves, tomato seeds contain hefty amounts of vitamin C. We are all aware that vitamin C is a nutrient so important for keeping the immune system strong. Especially when the flu season is nearing, it is a good idea for everyone to have a strong immune system to stay free of infection.
Improved Skin Health
Vitamin C is also important for healthy and beautiful skin. The said nutrient is necessary for the synthesis of collagen which makes the skin less susceptible to wrinkling. Also, it’s an antioxidant that helps fight off those skin cell-damaging free radicals. By the way, tomato seeds also have vitamin A, which is another antioxidant.
Lowered Risk of Cancer
Speaking of antioxidants, tomato seeds are rich in one of the most powerful antioxidants on the face of the planet, and that’s lycopene. Numerous studies have proven that lycopene is very good at preventing cancer from striking. Don’t forget to cook tomato seeds first because it helps activate the lycopene they contain.
Regular Bowel Movements
Earlier, it was mentioned that tomato seeds contain superb amounts of fiber. It’s exactly for this reason why refusal to exclude them in your cooking can help in preventing constipation. A diet that’s rich in fiber and paired with an active lifestyle can help the GI tract remove waste products and poisonous substances more efficiently.
Reduced Osteoporosis Risk
Osteoporosis is a condition which is characterized by bones that are weak and brittle. Luckily, it can be very easy for anyone to lower his or her risk of having this debilitating condition in the future by having a diet that’s rich in the likes of calcium, potassium and vitamin K, all of which you can obtain from tomato seeds.
These are just a few of the many health benefits that tomato seeds offer. However, it’s not a good idea for people who have kidney stones or are prone to forming them to consume lots of tomato seeds. That’s because they are high in oxalates, which means that too much tomato seeds can contribute to kidney stone formation.
You may have heard from someone that tomato seeds can cause appendicitis because they may end up trapped inside the appendix. While such is possible, experts say that the most common cause of appendicitis is hardened fecal matter or mucus that causes an obstruction, which can lead to the inflammation of the appendix.
