Benefits of Tomatoes for Weight Loss
Tomato is good for weight loss, as it’s a low-calorie, filling food, due to its high fiber and water content. Also, tomato burns belly fat as it’s high in carotenoids and vitamin C.
Calories
Above all, tomatoes are great in a hypocaloric diet for weight loss, as they have only a few calories. They have only 18 calories per 100g. A medium tomato has 11 calories!
Sugar
Tomatoes consist mainly of carbs. They contain about 3.9 grams of carbs per 100g. A tomato contains up to 7.1 grams of carbs. Also, tomatoes contain some protein but negligible amounts of fat. A large tomato contains 1.6 grams of protein!
Tomato has a pretty low sugar content. A medium tomato contains only 3.2 grams of sugar. Even a large tomato contains no more than 5 grams of sugar.
Tomato products have a much higher sugar content, though. For instance, tomato juice, paste, sauces, ketchup, and sun-dried tomatoes contain about 2.6 g, 12 g, 13 g, 21 g, and 38 grams of sugar per 100g, respectively!
The two main types of sugars in tomatoes are glucose and fructose. 48% of tomato sugars are glucose and 52% are fructose.
Tomato has a very low glycemic index of 23. Hence, it helps control postprandial glucose responses. On the contrary, diets with foods with a high glycemic index have been linked to increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.[1]
People with diabetes can consume tomatoes. According to the American Diabetes Association, tomatoes are superstar foods for diabetes! They’re packed with fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, flavonoids, and many other antioxidant compounds that may help control glucose. They’re good for overall health.[2]
Tomato is keto-friendly, as it’s low in net carbs. People who follow a ketogenic diet can consume a small tomato daily. It contains only 2.4 grams of sugar! In contrast, people on keto should avoid other tomato products. They have significantly higher sugar content. For instance, just a tbsp of tomato paste contains 2 grams of sugar, while a tbsp of ketchup contains 3.6 g of sugar!
Hydration
Furthermore, tomatoes support weight loss because they hydrate the body. They’re about 95% water. We have to stay well-hydrated to burn belly fat. Water plays a key role in fat metabolism.
We have to drink at least 64 oz of water per day. If you don’t like drinking water, you could at least consume foods high in water, like cucumber, watermelon, and many more fruits and vegetables! In fact, fruits and vegetables high in water hydrate the body better than tap water because they also contain electrolytes. Moreover, fruits and vegetables contain high-quality, purified water!
Fiber
In addition, tomatoes are good for weight loss because it’s a good source of fiber.
They contain 1.2 grams of fiber per 100g. A medium raw tomato contains about 1.5 grams of fiber or 4% DV.
Red tomato varieties, such as cherry, plum, and grape, have the same fiber content. Orange varieties have 25% less fiber than red tomatoes. Orange varieties contain about 0.9 g of fiber per 100g. Yellow varieties contain even less fiber. They contain 40% less fiber than red tomatoes. They contain only 0.7 g of fiber per 100g.
Sun-dried tomatoes are the richest tomato product in fiber. They contain 12.3 g of fiber per 100g! Just a cup of sun-dried tomatoes provides 6.6 g of fiber or 19% DV.
Tomato paste is also a great dietary source of fiber. It contains 4.1 grams of fiber per 100g or 0.65 grams of fiber per tbsp!
On the other hand, tomato juices and ketchup contain negligible amounts of fiber.
Tomatoes contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Raw tomatoes contain mainly insoluble fiber, though. About 90% of their total fiber content consists of insoluble fiber.[3]
However, the ratio of insoluble to soluble fiber changes during tomato processing. Heavily processed tomato products have almost the same amount of soluble and insoluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water. It absorbs water, making the stool softer, helping defecation.
On the other hand, soluble fiber dissolves in water, turning to a gel. It slows down digestion and has satiating effects. Hence, it supports weight loss.
Foods high in fiber, water, and protein promote satiety. You could eat tomato with a protein-rich food, such as cottage cheese, as a healthy snack between meals to lose weight.
A high-fiber intake has been linked to a low risk of obesity! Foods high in fiber are beans, fruits, vegetables, whole-grain bread, rice, popcorn, nuts, and seeds.[4]
Protein
Furthermore, tomato is beneficial for weight loss because it contains some protein:
- raw tomato has 0.9 grams of protein per 100g
- tomato paste has 4.3 grams of protein per 100g
- sun-dried tomatoes have 14 grams of protein per 100g
Eating foods high in protein is good for losing belly fat and maintaining a healthy body weight. Protein has by far the greatest thermic effect. The body burns 30% of the calories of protein during digestion! On the contrary, only 10% of calories of carbs and 0-3% of fat are burned during digestion of food.
Moreover, foods high in fiber, protein, and water are the most filling. Hence, beans are great for weight loss, as they’re high in protein, fiber, and water!
Vitamin C
Additionally, tomato is a good source of vitamin C. Raw tomato has 14 mg of vitamin C per 100g or 15% DV. Vitamin C has been linked to a decreased risk of obesity, due to its antioxidant properties. It’s involved in the metabolism of fat.[5]
Tomato is a good dietary source of vitamin C. It contains 13.7 mg of vitamin C per 100g, which is 15% of the Daily Value. A whole tomato provides up to 28% of the recommended daily intake.
As fresh tomato and other tomato products are favorite foods with decent amounts of vitamin C, they’re key dietary sources of vitamin C for many people.
The amount of vitamin C in tomatoes depends on the ripening stage. Most tomato varieties have more vitamin C when they are ripe. Green tomatoes have less vitamin C.
Tomato juice (70 mg per 100 mL) and even canned tomato paste (22 mg per 100g) are also rich in vitamin C. Tomato paste has a lower vitamin C content than tomato juice because vitamin C is pretty vulnerable to heat. After all, tomato paste is highly processed food.
Ketchup has negligible amounts of vitamin C.
Carotenoids in tomatoes burn fat
Above all, tomato is particularly rich in carotenoids, such as lycopene, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
Carotenoids have potent antioxidant properties and help fight oxidative stress, which is a common cause of obesity. Furthermore, high amounts of carotenoids in the blood have been linked to a lower Body Mass Index (BMI).[6]
| Raw tomato | Sun-dried tomato | |
| beta-carotene (mcg) | 449 | 524 |
| lycopene (mcg) | 2,573 | 45,902 |
| lutein & zeaxanthin (mcg) | 123 | 1,419 |
Most noteworthy, tomato is the best dietary source of lycopene. According to a 2019 study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, lycopene seems to improve insulin resistance. Also, lycopene has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity properties. Most noteworthy, lycopene seems to block lipogenesis. Hence, it helps burn belly fat.[7]
What’s the Best Time to eat Tomatoes?
The best time of the day to eat tomatoes for weight loss is before a high-calorie meal. Tomato can help you consume fewer total calories in a day. For instance, you can have a salad with 2 whole tomatoes before the main meal of the day. But, you shouldn’t add any fattening dressing, like vegetable oil. Tomato salad should be low in calories in order to help you lose weight!