Benefits of Canned Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes have always been a staple food in my store cupboard, mainly because if everything else fails I can always make a quick pasta and marinara sauce. They are also the base for many soups, casseroles and sauces, as well as my favorite paella. Use them drained or with the juices, adding different herbs and spices to come up with totally different flavors.

So I was especially excited to read in a recent report presented at the American Dietetic Association's annual expo how beneficial canned tomatoes can be.

People who ate at least one-quarter cup of canned tomatoes had lower levels of C-reactive protein, which is one of the indicators of cardiovascular risk, than those who ate less than that amount. The research also showed that those who ate canned tomatoes had a greater intake of vitamins and nutrients. The study found that those who ate canned tomatoes consumed more of the nutrients that are lacking in many Americans' diets, including fiber, vitamins C and E, potassium, and magnesium. It was also found that those who ate canned tomatoes also consumed less total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and added sugars.

As well as being rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene, canned tomatoes are relatively inexpensive, at a time when many consumers are looking for nutritious, cost-conscious meals.

The recipes featured in the Gourmet Fusion store blog often contain canned tomatoes, check out some of the recipes below from our past blogs:

marinara sauce
spaghetti alla puttanesca
rigatoni with chicken
jambalaya
braciole
ossobucco
pizzaiola halibut
ratatouille
paella
marco polo's lobster fra diavolo