Nutritional Q & A

Q. Do tomatoes help prevent cancer?

A. Lycopene, although a lesser known carotenoid than beta-carotene, is coming to the forefront for its cancer-reducing properties. Lycopene is part of the brilliant red hue of many fruits and vegetables, especially tomatoes. Research has shown that lycopene has a superior ability to quench the oxidative radicals that play a role in aging and many degenerative diseases, such as prostate and certain other cancers.

Q. How can I retain the nutritional value of vegetables during preparation?

A. The nutritional value of fresh vegetables will be retained if care is taken in preparation. Use a minimal amount of water, and cook vegetables just to the tender-crisp stage. This will prevent important nutrient loss from the vegetables into the cooking water. Steaming is an excellent way to cook vegetables to make sure the wonderful colours, flavors and nutrients are preserved.

Different kinds of vegetables lose nutrients depending on how they are stored. For example, fresh asparagus loses half its vitamin C content in several days if not refrigerated. The more a vegetable is exposed to oxygen, the more rapid the nutrient loss. Be sure to use shredded or cut vegetables as soon as possible after preparation or opening a bag of ready-to-eat salad ingredients.

 
Q. How can I get my kids to eat more vegetables?

A. It is important for children to observe adults eating and enjoying vegetables on a daily basis. In this way, adults can set a good example.

Present vegetables in kid-appealing ways, by cutting them into fun shapes and serving them in bite-sized portions.

Incorporate vegetables into soups, stews and spaghetti sauces. Another idea is to serve fun foods like pizza or tacos, allowing children to decorate or add their own vegetables.

If kids don’t like cooked ones, why not serve them raw? This is often a way to encourage children to eat their veggies.

Introduce vegetable juices to your children. A serving is 1 cup according to Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating and ¾ cup in the U.S. Food Pyramid.

Q. How do I get my vegetables if I live alone or lack the time to prepare?

Prepared fresh vegetables can be purchased already shredded or pre-cut in convenient resealable bags – examples include ready-to-eat salad or mini cucumbers.

Why not “drink your veggies” on occasion? A serving is 1 cup according to Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating and ¾ cup in the U.S. Food Pyramid.

Q. Can vegetables help me ward off the common cold?

A. Although research hasn’t proven that vitamin C prevents or cures the common cold, extra vitamin C may help reduce the duration and symptoms. Increasing vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits, kiwi, potatoes and tomatoes and tomato-based soups will help to ensure adequate intake. Ontario greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers all contain vitamin C, with a medium-sized tomato contributing almost 40% of the recommended daily intake. A single large orange pepper contains three times the amount of Vitamin C of an orange. 

Q. If I don’t like tomatoes, what other vegetables and fruit can I eat to get lycopene?

A. Lycopene is naturally found in fruit and vegetables having a characteristic red/pink color including watermelon, guava, rosehip and pink grapefruit.

Q. How much of my daily allowance for vitamin C can I get from tomatoes?

A. You can get 40% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C from one medium tomato. They are also a good source of vitamin A. (USDA)

Q. How many calories are in a tomato, cucumber or sweet pepper?

A. About 3/4 cup, 173 g of a tomato contains 41 calories. The same amount of a cucumber contains 20 calories and 50 calories in a sweet pepper.