Where does the tomato come from and why is it called that? The origin of the tomato - homeland and use in ancient times, historical facts. What plant is the tomato?

When talking about the tomato fruit, the tomato, some difficulties arise. Some say that it is a vegetable: many call it that way. Others claim that the tomato is a berry, and they have their own arguments from a botanical point of view. Finally, for others, this “thing” is a fruit, but such people are few. Everyone is right to some extent, and the correct answer depends on the point of view from which the question is asked.

American Alien

The word “tomato” came into European languages ​​from Aztec. There this plant was called “tomatl”. But his homeland was not Mexico at all.

Cultivating a migrant from the south

Tomato grows wild in South America. How he got to the north is still unknown. Among the versions we can assume the following:

• slow spread north along the Andes and beyond to the Cordilleras;
• accidental skidding;
• intercivilization contacts.

Tomatoes were brought to Europe in the 16th century. Local residents treated him with distrust. At first it took root in Spain and Portugal, where it was bred as an ornamental plant. Its fruits were considered poisonous, but no one knows why this happened. It never occurred to anyone to check this.

Later, the “exotic” came to Italy, where after some time they began to eat it, and not just kept in gardens for decoration. This event was not noticed at first: the first culinary recipe was written with some embarrassment and a reference to the fact that it was invented by the Spaniards. But over time, it was the tomato that revolutionized Italian cuisine and led to the state in which modern people know it.

This is a vegetable of the nightshade family, originating from South America, and occupying a leading place in the world among vegetable crops.

In 1519, conquistador Fernando Cortes first saw the bright red fruit in the gardens of Montezuma. Impressed, he brought tomato seeds to Europe, where they began to grow it as an ornamental plant.

In France, the tomato was called the “apple of love” (“ pomme d'amour"), as it was believed to have aphrodisiac properties.

Latin name for tomato Lycopersicum esculent, was coined by the French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort in the 17th century and meant " wolf peach" Round and juicy, the tomato fruit has been mistakenly equated with belladonna berries and considered poisonous - hence the name.

Tomato, in turn, comes from the Spanish tomate– derived from the ancient Aztec word tomatl. The name tomato comes to us from the Italian language, “ Golden Apple" - pomo d'orо, since yellow varieties of the fruit were probably originally used in Europe. The first country to begin cultivating tomatoes was Italy. From a botanical point of view, tomato fruits are considered berries, but in everyday life and in the way they are used, they have long taken their position among vegetables.

There are hundreds of types of tomatoes - small cherry tomatoes the size of grapes, huge tomatoes " Bull's heart» weighing 600-800 grams, juicy for salads and meaty for pasta, campari And " cream”, are just the most famous of many varieties. The color of the fruit, in addition to red, can vary from white, orange, yellow, green to purple and chocolate.

The plant can be annual or perennial.

Annual bush reaches a height of 60-90 centimeters, at the tips of the branches instead of leaves there are buds. The fruits usually ripen all at once, and after ripening the plant dies.

Perennial tomato is a climbing plant that requires support with stakes or a cage. This tomato will bear fruit until it freezes. The fruit usually ripens later than that of an annual plant, but generally produces a larger yield. The flower is usually located on the main branches. The height reaches 1.5-3 meters, provided that the plant is constantly supported and climbs.

Tomato is a rather whimsical plant. Loves space, warmth (temperature about 25 degrees) and a lot of light. The seeds should be located at a sufficient distance from each other so that the branches can break through without interfering with each other. Free air circulation is essential for proper tomato growth, as is warm soil. Adequate moisture is also very important. The best time for planting is late spring and early summer, but seed preparation begins at the end of January by warming and processing. In the first half of February, seeds are planted, and seedlings appear in March. You can grow tomatoes in the ground, in a greenhouse or in pots, upside down. The latter method is convenient where there is little space or infertile soil.

How to choose a good tomato?

Ripe tomatoes have a fairly rich aroma. If there is no smell, most likely the tomatoes were picked unripe. The stalk should be small. When choosing tomatoes, you need to pay attention to the smoothness of the skin, the absence of cracks, stains and traces of impacts.

A fully ripened tomato is soft and springy, but you can only choose it if it is consumed immediately. An overripe tomato is always good for sauces and soups. Healthy fruits have thin skin and uniform flesh.

If thin white veins are visible in the pulp, there are white spots in the core, and the core itself is “plastic” to the touch, then the tomato contains nitrates.

How to store tomatoes

The storage conditions of a tomato directly depend on how ripe it is. Room temperature will speed up the ripening process. Therefore, if you want the tomato to ripen, feel free to leave it in a warm place. Ripe tomatoes are best stored at around 12 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the tomato will stop ripening, but will not lose its taste and beneficial properties.

Useful properties of tomatoes

Composition and calorie content

Medicinal properties

Tomato contains a set of elements that have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and help cleanse the body. Tomato is an important source of lycopene (a powerful antioxidant that has immunostimulating and antitumor effects, slows down the aging of the body) and glutathione (a substance that protects cells from toxic free radicals). Thanks to these properties, tomato is an indispensable product in any balanced diet, as well as in a low-fat diet, anti-cancer diet, etc.

Lycopene– the component that gives tomatoes their red color. Accordingly, the “redder” the tomato, the more of this substance it contains. This microelement has properties similar to beta-carotene (contained in carrots), namely an anti-carcinogenic effect. Research shows that this flavonoid stimulates bone formation. It is recommended for people diagnosed with osteoporosis, menopause or brittle bones. Lycopene reduces the risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as prostate, stomach, bladder and uterine cancer. It is found in fresh tomatoes, but it is especially abundant in tomatoes that have been heat-treated, since the cooking process helps release lycopene and improve its absorption in the body.

Glutathione– has the properties of a powerful antioxidant, helps get rid of free radicals that cause many diseases. A large amount of glutathione is found in the skin of many vegetables, so it is also useful to eat tomatoes raw, in salads. This is a very important element that removes toxins, especially heavy metals (which, when accumulated, lead to deterioration of the body).

Scientific studies have shown that tomatoes and tomato sauce help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. This effect is observed due to the antioxidant properties of tomato. It is believed that lycopene and glutathione bind to prostate tissue and thus reduce the risk of damage to its DNA.

Use of the fruit

Externally, tomato is used as a bactericidal agent for purulent wounds, in the form of a paste. For varicose veins, tomato slices are applied to problem areas, secured with a bandage and held until a tingling sensation appears. Then the feet are washed with cold water. It is believed that such procedures should be carried out daily for a month.

For dull and dry facial skin, tomato is used as a cosmetic product. In addition, tomato pulp can be used as a stimulant for hair growth. Tomato can be used in creams and masks. Nourishing tomato cream with the addition of lanolin and oatmeal is suitable for any skin type. As one of the components of face masks, tomato can be used for dry, normal, oily, combination and aging skin. Also, tomato is used in body masks and peelings.

Freshly squeezed tomato juice can be used for liver diseases (together with honey), loss of strength (adding chopped parsley, dill and salt), atherosclerosis, obesity, anemia, constipation. Tomato juice enhances the secretion of gastric juice and intestinal motility, suppressing the effect of unfavorable intestinal microflora.

Use in oriental medicine

In traditional oriental medicine, the tomato is of particular importance because it can be consumed both as a fruit and as a vegetable. In one of the ancient Chinese books on dietetics, a tomato is described as “ sweet and sour in taste, cold in nature" The book also mentions that tomato has health benefits as it cools the body and reduces liver heat, thereby maintaining its balance and removing toxins. Therefore, tomato is indispensable in the following cases:

• for people with high blood pressure, which is believed in Chinese medicine to be often caused by " liver heat»;
• for those who suffer from decreased appetite or indigestion, a feeling of a full stomach, abdominal discomfort or constipation. Cooked tomato is especially good for children with poor appetite;
• for people who drink alcohol. Tomato juice drunk before, during or after drinking alcohol helps the liver absorb it and quickly eliminate toxins from the liver and the body as a whole;
• The tomato is “cold” in nature, so it is more useful than ever on hot days and summer. Chinese medicine has an idea of ​​the body and nature as one inextricable whole, so in hot weather the body will especially suffer from external heat. Heat causes changes in the body and can lead to symptoms such as dry skin, thirst, dark urine, sweat, overheating of the body, changeable emotions and insomnia. The cooling properties of tomatoes help reduce these symptoms and avoid heat stroke. Tomato is a summer fruit and is especially suitable for consumption during the hot season.

Plant in scientific research

Despite the abundance of modern plant species and the already studied data on the beneficial properties of tomatoes, scientists continue to study many aspects relating to the tomato. For example, much attention is paid to artificial cultivation and genetic engineering to improve the taste properties of the plant, its resistance, the presence of nutrients, growth rate, and aroma.

An important place in research is also occupied by the study of the origin of the tomato and, in particular, some of its species. For example, the genes responsible for the production of stem cells are being studied - research that could ultimately optimize the size of any type of fetus. The difference between organically grown and large-scale agriculturally grown tomatoes is also explored.

In 2017, scientists worked on assessing the biofilm-forming properties of bacteria Listeria monocytogenes(the causative agent of a severe infectious disease), the tomato was one of the vegetables that were studied in three interaction categories (slowing or accelerating growth, no effect). As a result of this study, it turned out that the strain that is present on the surface of the tomato (as well as daikon, apple and lettuce) stimulates the growth of the studied bacterium.

In addition, it is worth noting that the tomato, as one of the most common products in the domestic diet, often becomes the object of research in economics, nutrition, innovative science, and agricultural sciences. For example, when analyzing the diversification of rural production, growing tomatoes is considered as one of the promising branches of agriculture. It is expected that the development of this industry could potentially bring high income, tax benefits, lack of competition in the domestic market and a good harvest throughout the year when growing tomatoes in a greenhouse.

Tomatoes are also mentioned in interdisciplinary studies - for example, in work on the images of plants in artists' paintings as a resource of information on the history of agronomy. This study provides an example of paintings by L. E. Melendez (1772) and P. Lacroix (1864), which show how the tomato changed its shape as a result of selection towards a smoother and less ribbed one (for more convenient transportation and harvesting).

Thus, the tomato as a subject of comprehensive scientific research does not lose its relevance and importance.

Use in dietetics

Nutritionists value tomatoes primarily for their beneficial and medicinal properties. They contain sugars (mainly fructose and glucose), mineral salts (iodine, potassium, phosphorus, boron, magnesium, sodium, manganese, calcium, iron, copper, zinc). Tomatoes are also rich in vitamins - A, B, B2, B6, C, E, K, P, beta-carotene. Tomatoes contain organic acids and the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which can protect against prostate and cervical cancer, stop tumor cell division and DNA mutations, and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Heat-treated tomatoes contain even more lycopene than raw tomatoes, which is why prepared tomatoes are often recommended by nutritionists.

Tomatoes regulate the functioning of the nervous system, have an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect, improve metabolism and digestion, help with asthenia and atherosclerosis, and are also a good diuretic for kidney and bladder diseases.

Tomatoes contain many organic acids, especially malic and citric. Salts of organic acids in the process of assimilation leave a significant supply of alkaline mineral components in the body and thus contribute to alkalization of the body and the prevention of acid shifts. Thus, tomatoes maintain the necessary acid-base balance in the body. The low content of purines in tomatoes is an important link in the structure of a purine-free diet for the prevention of atherosclerosis. Tomatoes contain folic acid, which plays an important role in hematopoiesis, and also promotes the formation of choline in the body, a substance that normalizes cholesterol metabolism. Thus, tomatoes can be widely used in the diet of mature and elderly people, as well as patients with impaired uric acid metabolism (gout).

Use in cooking

Tomatoes are widely used in cooking. They are used as an ingredient in appetizers, first and second courses, salads - both raw and cooked. We have become completely accustomed to salads with fresh tomatoes, tomato soups, sauces, pizza and pasta with tomato dressing. Tomatoes are successfully used to prepare various types of canned food. The fruits contain a significant amount of acid, which makes it possible to limit the production of canned food to sterilizing them in boiling water. Depending on what taste the housewife wants to achieve, tomatoes can be pickled, salted, cooked into sweet sauce, juice or compote. As a rule, any type of canning uses sugar, salt, vinegar, citric acid and all kinds of spices. When properly prepared, the product can be stored in a cool, dark place for several years. These preserves are always an excellent addition to side dishes, meat, fish, salads and independent snacks. A well-known tomato product is ketchup - a thick tomato sauce with added seasonings.

Combination with other products

According to the rules of a healthy diet, it is not advisable to combine tomatoes with starchy and cereal products. It is recommended to eat tomatoes with herbs and vegetables that do not contain starch. It is advised to take tomatoes with proteins and fats, thus improving their absorption. A healthy combination is considered to be tomato and avocado, as well as broccoli.

The combination of tomatoes and cucumbers that we are used to is not as healthy as it seems - the components of these vegetables, according to recent studies, mutually interfere with the absorption of each other’s medicinal components.

Tomato drinks

The most famous tomato drink, as you might expect, is tomato juice. It is consumed both in its natural form and with the addition of salt, pepper, celery, Worcestershire sauce, lemon and lime juice. In addition, tomato juice is used as a component of several alcoholic cocktails. Tomatoes can be added to vegetable smoothies based on yogurt or kefir, and you can also make compote with spices from them.

In 1959, the American magazine Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine published a story about how a cook, a political supporter of Britain, tried to poison American President George Washington with a dish of tomatoes. In those days, in the 18th century, the tomato was considered poisonous. The cook, taking advantage of Mr. Washington's cold and impaired taste perception, added tomato pulp to the stew. After serving the dish, the cook committed suicide. In his last letter he wrote: “As a cook, I do not believe in suicide by poison; I'm too fat to hang myself; but, by vocation, I am a master at handling a knife.” As it turned out later, the story was a fiction, but it could well be true, because the tomato was indeed considered poisonous for a long time.

The tomato is often found in folk art, for example in proverbs. In German they say that someone who does not see the real situation - “ tomatoes in the eyes". In Arabic " be like a tomato" means " be a sociable and pleasant person". Well, in Russian we remember tomatoes when we talk about the most important thing - love. After all, alas, " love has passed - the tomatoes have wilted».

And in our article, record-breaking products, you can look at the giant tomatoes and other vegetables that diligent gardeners managed to grow.

The great national love for tomatoes around the world is proven by numerous festivals, museums and monuments dedicated to this wonderful product. Here are just a few of them:

Dangerous properties of tomatoes

Despite all the beneficial properties of tomatoes, there are several contraindications to their use:

• You need to be as careful as possible with the leaves of the plant bush, as they are poisonous.
• People prone to heartburn and high acidity should be wary of tomato fruits.
• Also, tomatoes can cause severe allergies.
• According to some studies, people with chronic kidney disease should use tomatoes with caution due to their high potassium content.
• Tomatoes can aggravate irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea, and are also contraindicated for gallstones.
• It is not recommended to use store-bought tomato paste, as it contains preservatives that are harmful to the body.
• If you have hypertension or cardiovascular diseases, it is not recommended to eat pickled and salted tomatoes, as they can cause the appearance of stones in the bladder. In addition, kidney stones can occur if you regularly consume canned tomato juice, as it contains starch.
• For pancreatitis and ulcers, moderate consumption of tomatoes is recommended, as they can provoke an exacerbation.

Do you know how to quickly cut cherry tomatoes? Watch the video.

In Latin, the name of the culture is Solánum lycopérsicum. The tomato is cultivated and its fruits are most often called tomatoes. In this case, the type of fruit is a berry. Does this mean that a tomato is a berry?

Today, due to the fact that the tomato has valuable nutritional and dietary properties, a variety of varieties, as well as high responsiveness to proper care during cultivation, it is one of the most popular crops on the entire planet. Tomatoes grow in open ground; they also bear fruit well under film, in glass and film greenhouses. You can often see this plant on balconies and loggias, and sometimes on window sills in rooms.

When consuming this crop, we almost never think about whether a tomato is a berry or a vegetable? And this question was even the reason. So, back in 1893, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a verdict according to which the tomato was considered a vegetable. Perhaps the reason for this decision was economic. After all, the import of vegetables, unlike fruits, was taxed. But, be that as it may, the decision was made on the basis that tomatoes are usually eaten as a second dish with meat or fish.

That is, this crop is not a dessert, which distinguishes it from fruits.

But the claims that the tomato is a berry have not stopped. And they found their confirmation at the official level relatively recently - in 2001.

But ordinary people, both in European countries and here, still for the most part consider the tomato a vegetable.

However, whether a tomato is a berry or a vegetable does not make its properties any less useful. Lycopene is a unique natural substance that tomatoes contain in large quantities and has simply miraculous properties. Thanks to this substance, eating tomatoes helps reduce the concentration of cholesterol in the blood and lower blood pressure. Lycopene in large quantities also actively fights obesity and blood clots.

It is very useful for middle-aged men to enjoy tomatoes. After all, if there is not enough lycopene in their body, the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke increases three times. An antitumor effect, preventing the division of cancer cells, which prevents the development of oncology, is also attributed to tomatoes. Tomato berries, by the way, are one of the few plant crops that do not lose their beneficial properties when exposed to high temperatures. Moreover, the amount of lycopene in tomatoes increases by one and a half times when boiled or fried. According to scientists from the Cancer Center in Memphis, if you eat fresh or cooked tomatoes every day, you can significantly reduce the risk of skin cancer (melanoma) and prostate cancer and get rid of some cardiovascular diseases.

But still, is a tomato a berry? Doesn't matter. The main thing is that tomatoes are tasty and healthy.

It’s hard to imagine a holiday table without fresh tomato salad, salted and pickled tomatoes. What about tomato sauce or ketchup, which we use almost every day with various dishes, and what would borscht be without tomato? What about fish in tomato sauce?

Now imagine, literally four centuries ago in Europe no one knew about this vegetable, and two hundred years ago this vegetable was considered poisonous.

Where did this culture come from?

Homeland of tomatoes- South America. The Peruvian Indians called it “large berry” in their language, which was similar to the word “tomato”.

Tomatoes were brought to Europe by the Spaniards who conquered the New World.. However, they did not yet know the beneficial nutritional properties; the Spaniards were simply attracted by the appearance of the plant: dark green carved leaves, delicate flowers and bright fruits. From Spain, tomatoes came to France and Italy. Passionate and temperamental French called the tomato the “apple of love” for its bright red color and heart-shaped shape. And the Italians called it “golden apple”, which is similar to the word tomato.

In Europe, tomatoes have long been considered an ornamental plant, and its fruits are inedible and even poisonous. Tomatoes were grown in pots among other indoor plants, and sometimes they decorated flower beds.

After some time, people began to notice that the smell of the plant’s foliage drove away midges, and the pulp from the crushed fruits healed purulent wounds. Some stomach diseases have been treated with tomato juice. So gradually, albeit very slowly, the bad reputation of the “inedible vegetable” began to dissipate.

In Russia, tomatoes have become popular since the time of Catherine II, thanks to the famous agronomist Andrei Timofeevich Bolotov, who successfully began to grow tomatoes brought from Europe on Russian soil. True, at that time everyone still believed that these were ornamental plants. His hobby spread among other Russian agronomists and gardeners. By the mid-nineteenth century, tomatoes had thoroughly conquered the vast expanses of Russia, especially since by that time their edible properties had become known.

Nowadays, there are more than two thousand varieties of this wonderful vegetable.

There are so many different shapes of tomatoes: small and round, like cherries, plum-shaped, flat, elongated oval, pear-shaped. And the color scheme is replete with variety: from brown, dark red and orange to pale pink, from light yellow and lemon to white.

Tomatoes weigh from twenty to nine hundred grams or more. And there’s nothing to say about taste and nutritional values! In terms of the amount of vitamin C, tomatoes are not inferior to lemons and oranges.

Tomatoes grow sweet and aromatic only in sunny weather, but in cloudy weather they are watery and tasteless, and the plants often get sick.

By the way, what should you call a ripe, tasty tomato from a botanical point of view?

You and I call it a vegetable, but in fact it is a berry! Exactly the same as ! But the habit, of course, is already difficult to change.

In his fairy tale “The Adventure of Cipollino,” Gianni Rodari described the tomato as a pompous, arrogant character who was at odds with the onion boy. In fact, these vegetables complement each other perfectly in a wide variety of dishes.