You’ve heard your doctor say and everyone else for that matter that eating healthy has a positive effect on your life. In fact, scientists have proven that eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables,legumes, grains, and lean meats contributes to maintaining a healthy weight, a better mood, and an increase in energy. One food to add to your diet that can do all of that plus help protect against certain diseases and illnesses like cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes is the tomato.
Benefits of the Tomato
Lutein and lycopene are two ingredients in the tomato that are beneficial to your health. Tomatoes are the best source of lycopene that is an antioxidant and tomatoes are an excellent source of lutein that is beneficial to eye health. Tomatoes also contain Vitamin B6, C, E, and K. Tomatoes are also a good source of fiber that aids in digestive health.
The Florida Tomato Committee lists ten reasons why you should include tomatoes in your diet, and they are that tomatoes:
- Aid in cancer prevention
- Help build strong bones which stave off osteoporosis
- Contain lycopene which promotes smooth skin
- Protect your body from carcinogens from smoking cigarettes
- Contribute to a healthy heart
- Contain Vitamin A which is great for skin, hair, bones, teeth, and eyes
- When seeded, protect against kidney stones
- Are great for your eyes as they can improve vision and prevent night blindness from developing
One way to boost your health without adding more carbs to your diet is to increase your consumption of tomatoes through a good tomato soup!
Benefits of Eating Tomato Soup
Cooking tomatoes releases two additional vital nutrients, selenium and copper. Selenium boosts reproductive health in men and copper is indispensable for a healthy circulatory system and healthy bones. Tomato soup contains 16 percent of the recommended amount of Vitamin A for men and 20 percent for women. It also includes 21 percent of the recommended daily requirement of Vitamin C for men and 17 percent for women.
One word of caution, however. Tomatoes are high in sodium, and high sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure as well as kidney and heart disease. When making tomato soup, you might not want to add additional salt.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings | small bowl |
- 10 tomatoes
- 5 carrots (chopped)
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1-2 basil leaves (or ¼ tsp of dried basil)
- 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
- ¼ cup cream
Ingredients
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- In a small skillet, sauté the onions and garlic in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil until the onions are translucent, approximately 2-3 minutes. While the onions and garlic are sautéing, place the tomatoes, carrots, water, basil, and nutritional yeast into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for 15 minutes. Pour the sautéed onion and garlic into the pan. Stir to blend the flavors.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool slightly for about 5-6 minutes. Once cool, place the soup mixture into a blender or use an immersion blender and blend until thick, smooth, and creamy. You can also use an immersion blender. Total blending time is approximately 4-6 minutes.
Finishing The Dish
Once combined, pour the soup into a bowl, add croutons or crusted bread, a dash of pepper, and enjoy!
Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup
To veganize the recipe, use all the same ingredients but substitute vegetable broth or water instead of chicken stock or chicken broth, eliminate the cream, and add 1/3 cup of Nutritional Yeast to the pot so the flavor of the Nutritional Yeast can combine with the other flavors.
Follow the instructions above to prepare the soup.
The unassuming tomato, some call it a fruit while others call it a vegetable, is good for and to your body. If you are committed to living a healthy lifestyle, the tomato can help you fulfill that goal. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, the tomato should be included in your meal plans and making tomato soup is a delicious way to eat this healthy food.
A cup of tomato soup can be the beginning of a healthy meal, or you can add a salad and a piece of fruit to a bowl of tomato soup and make the tomato soup the main course. I hope you will enjoy this delicious tomato soup recipe. Whether you use the original recipe or the veganized version, they are both delightful. Enjoy!
