Tomato paste

We are all well aware of the undoubted benefits and value of tomatoes, but is it safe to say the same about the foods produced from these red vegetables. Let's try to figure out the example of one of the most popular and popular products - tomato paste.

It is worth noting that unlike ketchup and sauce, tomato paste is not the final product, so it can be safely attributed to additives or raw materials. After all, no one will eat her spoons and, likewise, no one will like pizza, borscht or cabbage rolls in which she is not present.

By the way, for the first time they started talking about a prototype of tomato paste back in the 19th century, when Italian chefs tried to make tomato sauce with the addition of olive oil with pepper and garlic.

It is no secret for experienced culinary experts that a product of thermally treated tomatoes is called tomato paste, during the manufacture of which ripe tomatoes are cleared of skin and seeds, and then boiled. During the heat treatment, the moisture contained in the tomatoes evaporates, while the concentration of dry substances increases. The quality properties of tomato paste directly depend on the percentage of these substances, that is, the more of them, the better the product. Additional ingredients are almost never added to a high-quality paste, due to the fact that tomatoes already contain everything you need, including salt and sugar. The calorie content of tomato paste is 102 kcal per 100 grams of substance.

It is recommended to store tomato paste exclusively in glassware so that the product does not oxidize and mold does not form.

Benefits of tomato paste

The benefits of tomato paste as a dietary product have been proven, as it is made from vegetables and has a low calorie content. However, if an unscrupulous manufacturer adds starch to it so that the texture is much thicker, then the nutritional value in it will increase accordingly.

If you eat this product regularly (about 50 grams per day), you can keep your skin from aging prematurely, improving its elasticity. The benefits of tomato paste are also indicated by the fact that it has the ability to reduce the risk of cancer. This is due to the fact that it, like tomatoes, contains a substance called lycopene, which has strong antioxidant activity.

Harm to tomato paste

Speaking about the dangers of tomato paste, it is worth considering the fact that a quality product is practically unable to negatively affect the human body. But cheap raw materials, to which starch, water and a whole set of preservatives and stabilizers are often added, can turn out to be the most unpleasant surprise. Be careful when choosing tomato paste and remember that "stingy pays twice. "