Tomatoes are juicy, colourful and naturally low in calories. They are made mostly of water, but they still provide useful nutrients including vitamin C, potassium, fibre, folate, vitamin K and natural plant compounds such as lycopene.

Per 100g, raw red tomatoes contain around 18 calories, 94.5g water, 3.89g carbohydrate, 1.2g fibre, 0.88g protein and 0.2g fat. They also provide around 237mg potassium, 13.7mg vitamin C, 15µg folate, 7.9µg vitamin K and 2,570µg lycopene.

The red colour in ripe tomatoes comes mainly from lycopene, a natural carotenoid pigment. Lycopene is one of the reasons tomatoes are often linked with colourful, plant-rich eating. Tomatoes are not a miracle food, but they are a very useful everyday ingredient in a healthy balanced diet.

Tomatoes can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Raw tomatoes add freshness, colour and vitamin C to salads, sandwiches and side dishes. Cooked tomatoes are excellent in soups, sauces, stews and pasta dishes. Cooking tomatoes can also make lycopene more available to the body, especially when tomatoes are cooked with a little olive oil.

Do Tomatoes Count as Part of Your 5 A Day?

Yes. Tomatoes do count as part of your 5 A Day.

The NHS says that 1 medium tomato or 7 cherry tomatoes counts as one portion of salad vegetables. More generally, 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit and vegetables counts as one portion of your 5 A Day.

Fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes and tomatoes cooked into meals can all help towards your 5 A Day. For tinned tomatoes, it is usually better to choose versions with no added salt or sugar where possible.

Tomato ketchup is different. It may contain tomato, but it is usually higher in added sugar and salt, and is not a good way to count tomatoes towards your 5 A Day. The British Heart Foundation also lists tomato sauce or ketchup as not counting in the same way because there is not enough tomato and too much added salt and sugar.

Healthier Ways to Eat Tomatoes

Tomatoes are easy to use in healthy everyday meals. They work well because they add moisture, colour, flavour and nutrients without adding many calories.

Some healthier ways to enjoy tomatoes include:

1. Add fresh tomatoes to salads
   Fresh tomatoes add colour, juiciness and natural sweetness. Try them with cucumber, red onion, herbs, leaves, beans, eggs, tuna, chicken, lentils, mozzarella or wholegrains.
2. Use tomatoes in homemade soups
   Tomatoes are ideal for soups because they bring flavour, colour and body. They work well with carrots, peppers, lentils, beans, onions, garlic, basil, chilli and a little olive oil.
3. Make simple tomato-based sauces
   A sauce made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs and vegetables can be a healthier alternative to creamy or heavily processed sauces. It can be used with pasta, grains, beans, fish, chicken or roasted vegetables.
4. Choose canned tomatoes wisely
   Canned tomatoes are convenient and can still be a useful part of a healthy diet. Choose tins with no added salt or sugar where possible.
5. Cook tomatoes with a little healthy fat
   Lycopene is better absorbed when tomatoes are cooked with some fat. A small amount of olive oil can work well in tomato soups, sauces and roasted tomato dishes.
6. Do not rely on ketchup as your tomato portion
   Ketchup can be enjoyed occasionally, but it is often higher in sugar and salt. Fresh, canned, roasted or cooked tomatoes are much better everyday choices.
7. Use tomatoes to make meals more colourful
   Tomatoes can help brighten up simple meals such as baked potatoes, omelettes, soups, salads, wraps, beans on toast, couscous, pasta and grain bowls.

Tomatoes are not about perfection. They are simply a colourful, versatile and nutritious food that can help make everyday meals fresher, tastier and more balanced.