Tomato is considered both vegetable and fruit but is largely accepted as vegetable. It is popular all over the world. It contains a lot of nutrients especially vitamins. It is very tasty and people like to take it in different forms such as raw, as salad, as juice, soup, sauce, ketchup, sauce, in curries, in sandwiches etc. It is great source of vitamin A, B and C. Taking 3-4 ripe tomatoes daily will give sufficient amount of vitamins required by the body. Some scientists prefer it to orange and grapes. It contains iron in quantities twice as found in eggs. It speeds up blood circulation and enriches Red Blood Corpuscles (RBC) in blood. It provides strength to heart muscles and bone. It also provides energy. It clears constipation, and activates the liver. It is digestive, diuretic, carmative and an apetiser. But persons suffering from kidney stone must not take Tomato. Taking too much of Tomato seeds may result in the formation of stones. So it is better to avoid the seeds. A person suffering from cough should also avoid taking Tomato.
1. For stomach disorder: Cut tomato into pieces, sprinkle salt and pepper and take it morning and evening for indigestion and for its role as an appetizer.
2. For constipation: Take tomato juice evenly mixed with spinach juice before retiring to bed for comfortable bowel movement.
3. For skin disorder: Tomato can be utilised in various form for different kind of skin problems:
a) Taking Tomato juice 2-3 times regularly purifies blood and cures skin diseases.
b) Apply pulp of Tomato on face, and leave this for an hour. Then wash it with warm water. Repeat this daily. You will have a good complexion. It will also remove ugly looking pimples in a short time.
c) Tomato lotion: Add few drops of lemon juice in 1 teaspoon of Tomato juice. Apply on face and remove after 15 minutes. It is very effective for shrinking enlarged pores.
d) Tomato tonic: Add 4 teaspoons of butter milk to 2 teaspoons of Tomato juice. Apply it and remove it after half an hour. It is excellent in removing sunburns.
4. Bleeding gums: For strengthening gums and to stop gum bleeding, take tomato juice regularly.
5. For mouth blister: Gargle morning and evening with Tomato juice to get rid of blister on lips, tongue and mouth.
6. For eye troubles: Cut tomato into pieces. Mix it with curd and take it with your meal. it will improve your eye sight.
7. For worms: Taking tomato sprinkled with rock salt destroys worms of stomach.
The author, Dr. Aftab Ahmad, hold a doctorate in Alternative Medicine apart from a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery.