Tomato 4:1

History and Uses:
The Tomato is an annual plant indigenous to the Americas that is now grown in many parts of the world for its fruit. The plant grows best when the air and soil are warm and requires a warm growing season of four to five months for commercial production. In cooler sections of the world, the seed is not planted directly in the garden but in hotbeds or greenhouses where the young plants are grown until they can be planted outside. A Tomato fruit can be as small as a cherry or as large as a grapefruit, depending on the variety, and most are red when ripe, but there are some yellow varieties. Tomatoes are generally tart to the taste and the juice is more acidic than the flesh. Tomatoes are used in many different ways. They may be eaten raw as in salad or served cooked. Tomato juice is a very popular drink, and Tomatoes are also used to make paste, catsup, soup and many types of sauces. At one time Tomatoes were called "love apples," and people thought eating them was harmful. Now it is known that Tomatoes are one of the most healthful of all foods, because they are rich in vitamins C and A and many other minerals and nutrients, but what makes Tomatoes special is the presence of Lycopene. Lycopene is the carotenoid that gives Tomatoes their red color. Lycopene is an acyclic isomer of beta-carotene and has been the subject of much research in relation to its beneficial actions regarding prostate and other forms of cancer, as well as coronary heart disease. The Tomato is the single most important source of Lycopene and has garnered a well-deserved reputation as great antioxidant and free-radical fighter.