Introduction
Tomatoes are a popular and nutritious food choice, widely used in a range of different recipes. A half tomato is often used for a meal or snacks such as sandwiches, salads, wraps and smoothies. Knowing the calorie content of half a tomato is important for monitoring your total daily calorie intake.
This guide explains the calorie content of half a tomato and touches on the vitamins and minerals found in it. It also provides tips on how to incorporate half tomatoes into your daily diet for optimum health benefits:
- Incorporate half tomatoes into salads, sandwiches and wraps.
- Add half tomatoes to smoothies for added nutrition.
- Use half tomatoes as a topping for pizza or pasta dishes.
- Include half tomatoes in omelets or frittatas.
- Use half tomatoes in soups and stews for added flavor.
Nutritional facts
Knowing the nutritional facts of half a tomato can be beneficial to those aiming to lead a healthy lifestyle. Half a tomato is full of vitamins and nutrients that are essential for a healthy body. Additionally, half a tomato contains a surprising number of calories.
In this section, we will look at the exact nutritional value of half a tomato and its calorie count:
Calories
One half of a medium tomato contains 8 calories. It is composed of 0.2 grams of fat and 1 – 1.4 grams of carbohydrates, depending on the exact variety of tomato used.
Tomatoes are a nutrient-dense food, with vitamins A and C being the most abundant, providing 9% and 17% respectively of the Recommended Daily Intake for these vitamins based on an average 2,000 calorie per day diet. Tomatoes also provide valuable amounts of minerals including iron and phosphorus.
Overall, tomatoes are a great choice as part of a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories or energy. These include protein, carbohydrates and fats. Half a tomato contains a small number of carbohydrates, primarily in the form of dietary fiber and sugars. It also supplies small amounts of fat and protein.
The nutrients in half a tomato are as follows:
- Carbohydrates: 2 grams
- Dietary fiber: 1 gram
- Protein: 0.6 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
- Calories: 7
When consumed as part of a balanced diet, the small amount of micronutrients in half a tomato can contribute significantly to your overall health. Half of a medium-sized tomato contains important vitamins such as vitamin C (36% daily value) and vitamin K (7% daily value). Half a tomato also provides essential minerals including potassium (11% daily value) and magnesium (3% daily value).
Vitamins and minerals
Half a tomato contains a wealth of vitamins and minerals to support and balance your dietary needs. The USDA’s nutrient database lists the following vitamins and minerals found in half a tomato:
- Vitamins
- Vitamin A: 894 IU
- Vitamin C: 19.7mg
- Vitamin K: 6mcg
- Thiamin: 0.034mg
- Riboflavin: 0.047mg
- Niacin: 0.535mg
- Pantothenic acid: 0.159mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.061mg
- Minerals
- Calcium: 14 mg
- Magnesium 10 mg
- Potassium 276 mg
- Phosphorus33 mg
- Zinc 045 mg
- Copper 008 mg
- Manganese 07 mg
Half a tomato is also an excellent source of dietary fiber, which promotes regularity, helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels, and helps keep you full longer to control hunger and cravings throughout the day.
Health benefits
Half a tomato provides a substantial number of dietary benefits, as it is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients. It is low in calories, but high in fiber, and is also a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that could help protect against disease.
Let’s explore the many health benefits of eating a half a tomato:
Rich in antioxidants
Tomatoes are an incredibly healthy and nutritious food. They are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Tomatoes are especially rich in antioxidants such as lycopene, beta-carotene, and Vitamin C, which can protect your cells from damage. They also contain a number of health-promoting compounds such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and other carotenoids.
Lycopene is the most abundant antioxidant in tomatoes and is believed to be responsible for their bright red color. Research has shown that cooking and processing tomatoes can increase the amount of lycopene present in the food. This makes tomato products such as sauces, pastes, and tomato juice even more nutritious than fresh tomatoes! In particular, research has found that consuming 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste each day can significantly boost lycopene levels in the body.
In addition to their high antioxidant content, tomatoes are also a good source of fiber and Vitamin B6 which can help keep your digestive system healthy. A half cup of chopped tomatoes contains only 10 calories but provides 1 gram of fiber plus 20% of your daily needs for Vitamin B6.
High in fiber
Tomatoes are a nutrient-packed food with a range of health benefits. Not only are they low in calories, but they also contain a high amount of dietary fiber. One half cup of chopped tomatoes contains 1.5 grams of dietary fiber, which is about 6 percent of the daily value (DV).
Dietary fiber is an important type of carbohydrate that provides many health benefits, such as improved digestion and reduced risk for chronic disease. The amount of dietary fiber found in half a tomato can help to increase the feeling of fullness after meals and thus helps to promote weight loss or weight management when incorporated into a diet that is rich in whole and minimally processed foods like vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Its role in helping to reduce cholesterol levels is also beneficial for maintaining overall heart health, as dietary fiber binds with cholesterol molecules and helps to remove them from the body.
In addition to providing dietary fiber, half a tomato contains 3 percent DV vitamin C and 2 percent DV vitamin A. Vitamin C helps support immune system health while vitamin A contributes to vision health. Tomatoes are also an excellent source of lycopene – an antioxidant associated with a reduced risk for certain cancers including prostate cancer – when consumed regularly in their cooked form; however, raw tomatoes do not contain Lycopene so it’s important to ensure they’re included both raw and cooked on your plate throughout the week alongside other antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables like carrots or bell peppers for optimal nutritional benefit.
Low in calories
In a half-cup serving size there are 8 calories. This makes tomatoes a great option for those trying to cut down on their caloric intake and watch their weight. Half a cup of tomatoes can make an incredibly satisfying snack, adding a low calorie boost to almost any dish.
Tomatoes also have no fat, no cholesterol and a very low sodium content when consumed raw or cooked in health-friendly recipes. In addition, half a cup of tomatoes contains 1 gram of dietary fiber and 2 grams of protein, along with other vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C and some B Vitamins. Tomatoes also contain the antioxidant lycopene – which is what gives them the bright red color – and is full of great health benefits such as protective properties against some cancers.
Tips for adding half a tomato to your diet
Half a tomato is a great and healthy addition to your diet. Not only is it packed with essential vitamins and minerals, but it also contains a surprisingly low number of calories. Knowing the calorie count of half a tomato can help you make better eating decisions.
In this article, we will discuss tips for adding half a tomato to your diet, as well as the calorie count of half a tomato:
Salads
Salads are a great way to introduce half a tomato into your diet as they can provide you with great flavor, texture and nutrition. Half a tomato is generally sufficient to add interesting flavor, texture and color to an array of salads. Adding half a tomato to a traditional green salad is an easy way to add basic tomato nutrition. Try slicing up half a tomato and adding it to your favorite homemade or store-bought salad mix for a simple but tasty combination.
You can also try some more creative ways to get half a tomato into your diet by making unique salads that incorporate unusual ingredients combined with tomatoes. For example, adding half a tomato and crumbled feta cheese creates an interesting combination that is sure to impress at any dinner party or gathering. Try combining diced peach with half of diced cherry tomatoes sprinkled with mint leaves on top for another tasty and unusual salad option.
Half of the chopped cherry tomatoes can also be added raw or roasted onto sandwiches, pizzas or even tacos for increased flavor and nutrition in your meal. The combination of the sweet smokiness from roasting mixed with the tartness from the raw will make for an exciting new taste experience that you’re sure to enjoy! No matter if you’re cooking at home or ordering something off the menu, try adding half of one diced fresh tomato onto whatever dish looks the most appetizing!
Soups and stews
Soups and stews can be a great way to add half a tomato to your diet without noticing the additional ingredient. Try adding in some diced or pureed tomatoes for added nutritional value. Chopped tomatoes can also work as an excellent topping for soups, stews and chili. The flavor boost is just what you need to brighten up a meal, although the calories don’t change too much. Adding both fresh and canned tomatoes will help bring out flavors that would otherwise be missing, while also helping stretch out your meals.
Adding half a tomato to salads is another excellent option. Leave the skin on for extra fiber and other nutrients since tomatoes are packed with antioxidants like vitamin C and lycopene. Just one-half of a medium tomato provides 4 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C and 7 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin K; making them an excellent addition to any salad. Toppings such as lettuce, cucumbers, sweet peppers or mushrooms can also be added depending on your taste preferences or theme of the salad.
Finally, half a tomato can also be an excellent snack or side addition when simply sliced in halves or quarters; this makes them great accompaniments for dips such as hummus or avocado dip for easy snacking! Enjoying them on their own can also deliver nutrition at its finest – with minimal calorie load – when compared to other snacks like potato chips or crackers which are often heavily processed and full of sodium or unhealthy fats.
Sandwiches and wraps
If you’re looking to add tomatoes to your diet, sandwiches and wraps can be a great way to do that. They’re an easy and delicious lunch idea and they are easy to scale up or down in size, depending on your calorie intake. Here are some ideas for how to add half a tomato to your next sandwich or wrap:
- Go classic with a BLT – bacon, lettuce, tomato on toast. For extra flavor and nutrition, replace the bacon with shredded chicken or turkey.
- Substitute mayonnaise with reduced-fat cream cheese for a tasty change to your typical sandwich idea. Slice half a tomato thin; it will help keep the bread from getting soggy.
- Olive tapenade spread is a delicious accompaniment for half a tomato; it makes for an especially flavorful wrap!
- A simple veggie wrap works well with raw tomato slices if you’re looking for something lighter – just remember that tomatoes have lots of juice so use whole wheat wraps if possible!
- For an even healthier option, try grilling half a tomato inside your favorite turkey burger patty or veggie burger! This will give the patty an extra burst of flavor and color.
Conclusion
In conclusion, eating half a tomato is a healthy way to satisfy hunger while avoiding excess calories. The low-calorie, nutrient-dense nature of tomatoes makes them a great choice when trying to maintain a balanced diet. Eating half of a medium sized tomato provides approximately 10 calories and 1 gram of net carbs (after subtracting fiber). Additionally, this small portion size provides 20% of your daily vitamin C needs and 10% of your daily vitamin A requirements.
To make the most out of this nutrition powerhouse, choose tomatoes that are bright red in color and free from blemishes. Enjoy anyone or in combination with other fruits and vegetables for added flavor and nutrition!
