Tomatoes appear in daily Israeli salads, shakshuka, pasta sauce, matbucha, soup, sandwiches and simple evening meals with cheese, making them one of the most everyday foods in the Israeli menu. Dr. Maya Rosman said in a radio interview with tomato grower Ilan Ammar that they discussed different varieties, taste, ripening and the way the tomato became a basic ingredient in almost every home.
The tomato's nutritional secret is lycopene, a natural antioxidant that gives the tomato its red color and has been researched in connection with the health of the heart, blood vessels, skin and oxidation processes in the body. Lycopene is a natural pigment from the carotenoid family, the same family as beta-carotene, the orange pigment in carrots and sweet potatoes. In the body, it acts as part of the natural defense mechanism against free radicals, unstable molecules that can cause oxidative damage to cells.
The Science Behind the Red
A review published in Antioxidants said lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes, has been studied mainly for its ability to reduce oxidative damage and inflammation. The review linked that research to cardiovascular health, blood pressure, blood lipids, skin health and, in some studies, reducing the risk of prostate cancer. Another review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition examined studies on tomatoes, lycopene and sun damage to the skin and described evidence that consumption of tomatoes or lycopene can contribute to protection from sun damage and skin aging related to radiation exposure.
A red and ripe tomato generally contains more lycopene than a pale or greenish tomato. Lycopene is also found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, pink guava and papaya, but tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste are usually the most accessible and constant source in daily diets. The article said a daily consumption of 5 to 30 mg of lycopene, an amount that can come from one or two tomatoes or from tomato products, may have a health contribution.
Cooking Makes It Better
Heating and crushing tomatoes increase lycopene absorption. Unlike vitamin C, part of which might be damaged by heat, lycopene becomes more available to the body when the cell walls of the tomato soften and break down. Tomato sauce, tomato paste, shakshuka, tomato soup and matbucha are therefore excellent sources of lycopene.
Studies cited in the article found that adding olive oil to cooked tomatoes significantly raised lycopene levels in the blood after eating. Lycopene is fat-soluble, so eating tomatoes with some source of fat helps absorption. The article said even a teaspoon of olive oil in a salad, a little tahini, avocado or nuts can help.
Fresh tomatoes still provide vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, fluids and additional antioxidants. They're relatively low in calories and contribute to volume and satiety in a meal. The article said there's no reason to give up fresh tomatoes, but that a good tomato sauce isn't less healthy and can be even more effective for lycopene. It described a tomato as a simple, available, cheap and healthy food that doesn't need the label of a superfood and doesn't require a lycopene supplement to provide benefits.
Why This Matters:
The tomato's place in Israeli cuisine reflects a broader Mediterranean dietary pattern that has been consistently linked to positive health outcomes in population studies. The accessibility and affordability of tomatoes make them a practical vehicle for daily antioxidant intake without reliance on expensive supplements or specialized products. The fact that cooking enhances rather than diminishes the tomato's key nutritional benefit challenges common assumptions about raw versus cooked vegetables and validates traditional Middle Eastern cooking methods that have used cooked tomato sauces for generations. For a population facing rising healthcare costs and chronic disease rates, understanding that everyday staples like tomatoes can contribute meaningfully to cardiovascular and skin health offers a low-cost preventive health strategy. The research on lycopene and fat absorption also reinforces the value of traditional pairings like tomatoes with olive oil, a combination central to Israeli and Mediterranean cooking that now has scientific backing for its nutritional synergy.