This week is British Tomato Week – celebrating the red vegetable (or fruit?!) and all of its healthy goodness.
Did you know that tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C, potassium and vitamin K? They are also the major dietary source of lycophene, an antioxidant which has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease.
As they’re one of the most widely eaten fruits in the world, they are naturally a main ingredient in many dishes – including curries and stews.
Intolerances to tomatoes are rare in relation to how many are eaten by the population, however our food intolerance tests will help to understand exactly whether or not tomatoes are the culprit to your symptoms.
Intolerance reactions to a tomato will generally have a slow onset time, and sometimes show up as late as 72 hours after the tomatoes have been ingested. This is how you will be able to differentiate between a tomato allergy and a tomato intolerance, as allergy reactions will happen much quicker. If you suspect an allergy as opposed to an intolerance, then you should seek medical advice immediately.
The symptoms of a tomato reaction can vary from stomach bloating and pain, to diarrhea, to a skin rash and eczema.
If our food intolerance tests show that you are in fact intolerant to tomatoes, then an elimination diet is the best way forward, however because tomatoes are featured in so many products such as pasta sauce, passata and ketchup, it can be hard to eliminate them completely. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, it may be easier to simply reduce your exposure and manage your symptoms from then.
Remember, if you do need to eliminate tomatoes from your diet completely, then you should find suitable substitutes for the vitamins you get from eating them – to up your vitamin C intake, red peppers are a good substitute.
Think you may have a tomato intolerance? Get some clarity with our food intolerance tests from TYI Labs. In just a few simple steps we will provide you with a full, comprehensive report of your results, helping you to understand your intolerances better and advise you in how you can take the appropriate steps to improve your health and happiness once and for all.
