Let Food Be Your Medicine: Tomatoes One of the most delicious smells of the summer is that of a fresh, vine-ripened tomato. Not only are they abundant in the summer months, but you can find tomatoes in a multitude of colors, shapes and flavors at local grocery stores or farmer’s markets between late June and September. Tomatoes are truly a functional food. Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a leading cancer researcher at Harvard Medical School, examined over 70 studies on the health effects of tomatoes and found that 57 of them provided convincing evidence of a relationship between cancer risk and tomato consumption. The data includes benefits against cancers of the prostate gland, lungs, breast, pancreas, and cervix. Tomatoes are the primary source of lycopene in our diet – a potent carotenoid antioxidant. Though there is strong evidence connecting lycopene and cancer protection, researchers are not in agreement about how this occurs. Tomatoes are also high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium and Potassium. Vitamin C helps fight infection and is also involved in regulating blood pressure. Both Vitamin C and calcium help protect our bone health. Vitamin A helps regulate the immune system, by making white blood cells and helping our skin and eyes act as barriers to infection. All tomatoes and tomato products contain these nutrients, though some research has shown that organic tomato products have higher lycopene levels than conventional products. The bottom line is that tomatoes provide an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients and are an important part of a healthy diet. With red tomatoes, choose those with a deep red color. Fresh, ripe tomatoes will be slightly soft and have a very distinct scent. It’s better to store tomatoes at room temperature as refrigeration will reduce the flavor. As summer approaches and you begin harvesting and enjoying your home-grown tomatoes, try this recipe for stuffed cherry tomatoes as a great snack or as part of a light meal. Since carotenoids are fat-soluble nutrients (meaning that they’re absorbed into the body with fats), we’ve paired our tomatoes with high mono-saturated fat avocados. Olives, olive oil or nuts are also good choices for healthy fats to eat in conjunction with tomatoes. ------------------------- Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes Remove the stems of 24 large cherry tomatoes and wash thoroughly. Slice off ¼ of the bottom of the tomato; standing them on their tops where the stem was removed will give them balance. Scoop out the inside with a melon baler or small scoop to make a hollow shell. Turn them over and place on paper towels in the refrigerator to drain while you make the filling. Guacamole filling: 2 ripe avocados 1/3 cup finely chopped yellow or sweet onions 2 small Roma tomatoes or 12 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped Garlic salt to taste Juice from half a lemon Mash the avocado to your taste and stir in the remaining ingredients. Use a teaspoon to fill the cherry tomato shells and chill. (Tuna or chicken salad also works well in place of the guacamole.) Dr. Patricia David, MD, MSPH is a board-certified preventive medicine specialist and medical director of the Healthy U / Masaya Healing & Wellness Center, located in Westerville. You can reach her by e-mailing drdavid@the-healthy-u.com or by calling 888-253-3830.