The truth about tomatoes

I’ve always associated summertime with the taste of ripe, juicy tomatoes,  the kind that seem to glow in the sunshine and burst with flavour. There’s something about warm, slow days that makes tomatoes feel especially vibrant and nourishing. As they reach their peak in the summer months, their sweetness deepens, their colour intensifies, and their health benefits become even more supportive for our skin, heart, and overall wellbeing.

Why tomatoes belong to the summer

Tomatoes thrive in sunshine. When they ripen under long, warm days, their nutrient profile becomes richer, especially their antioxidant content. This makes summer the perfect time to enjoy them at their peak. They’re also wonderfully hydrating, with a water content of around 95%, making them ideal for hot days when we need extra support with fluid balance and skin hydration.

Lycopene: the phytonutrient that makes tomatoes special

Tomatoes are best known for lycopene, the bright red carotenoid responsible for their colour. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from oxidative stress and DNA damage (something that naturally increases during summer due to higher sun exposure). In plants, one of its key functions is to protect plant cells from damage caused by excess sunlight. In humans, it also holds heart health benefits.

Skin Health Benefits

Summer brings more time outdoors, and tomatoes offer gentle nutritional support for skin exposed to sunlight.

• Antioxidant protection: Lycopene helps neutralise free radicals generated by UV exposure. While it’s not a replacement for sunscreen, it can support the skin’s natural resilience.

• Collagen support: Tomatoes contain vitamin C, which plays a role in collagen formation, helping maintain skin firmness and elasticity.

• Hydration: Their high water content contributes to plump, nourished skin from within.

Heart Health Benefits

Tomatoes also support cardiovascular wellbeing, essential to long term health.

• Lycopene: Research suggests lycopene may help maintain healthy cholesterol balance and support blood vessel function.

• Potassium: Tomatoes provide potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure and supports fluid balance.

• Fibre: Their fibre content supports digestion and contributes to overall metabolic health.

How to Maximize Lycopene Absorption

Keep the skin on: Do not peel your tomatoes when making sauces, soups, or salads. There is as much as 5 times more lycopene in the tomato skin than in the flesh (and mini cherry tomatoes have a far greater skin surface area, relatively speaking, making them potentially far richer in this nutrient).

Add healthy fats: Pair tomatoes with healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts or avocado, because lycopene is fat-soluble and is much better absorbed when consumed with fat. Mediterranean style meals are especially good for this.

Apply heat: Lycopene becomes more bioavailable when tomatoes are cooked, meaning dishes like roasted tomatoes, tomato sauces, and soups can offer an extra boost.

How best to store them

Detached tomatoes continue to ripen and can almost double their lycopene levels when stored at room temperature for one to two weeks. In contrast, storing them below 10°C to 12°C suppresses the chemical and enzymatic reactions needed for pigment and flavour development, and can cause chilling injury or nutrient loss.[1] So keep them on the kitchen counter, rather than in the fridge (unless they are very ripe)!

Easy Ways to Enjoy Tomatoes This Summer

• Fresh tomato salads with olive oil, basil, and a sprinkle of sea salt

• Roasted tomatoes stirred into salad and grain bowls, topping off grilled meat and fish dishes or added to sauces

• Tomato and herb salsas for BBQ days

• Gazpacho as a cooling, nutrient-rich soup for lunch

References

[1] Farneti et al. 2012. Low temperature-induced lycopene degradation in red ripe tomato evaluated by remittance spectroscopy. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092552141200110X