Raw Tomatoes Are The Perfect Summer Food

Tomatoes are one of those love or hate them foods – you’ll rarely find someone who doesn’t either want to guzzle them down by the dozen or carefully remove them from their burger buns. Yet there is a case to be made to try and turn those anti-tomatoes into converts of the sandwich-makers favorite. Aside from being a covert fruit, strawberries have many more hidden benefits and secrets: tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and folate as well as a fantastic anti-oxidant called lycopene. The lycopene is especially potent when the tomatoes are cooked, but not insignificant when also eaten raw.

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Tomatoes really are the perfect summer food, not just for the previously listed health benefit but also due to their adaptability and place within many summer favorites such as salads, sandwiches, grills, and spreads. Tomato sandwiches are a favorite of many Southerners, who truly do know how to beat the heat out of necessity. The tomato sandwich is made by just taking two slices of white bread, add some mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and, of course, tomatoes. To create an even tastier version of the Southern delicacy, switch out the mayo for a healthy dose of hummus or cottage cheese.

In salads, tomatoes truly are all-stars, providing sweetness as well as a more meaty texture to your mix of vegetables. Combine with mozzarella, basil, and olive to create a classic Caprese then you can supercharge it with a bit of fruity goodness, like peaches or watermelon. Then there are the grilled varieties of the tasty tomato treat that only take a little bit of fire, salt, pepper, and olive to make something special. Add some feta to truly take this snack to the next level.

With all these suggestions we hope we can convince even just one tomato hater to give the fruit another shot.