To-may-toe or to-mah-toe? No matter how you pronounce it, the tomato is a star among produce. The fruit, often misunderstood and called a vegetable, is nutrient-packed, tasty, and versatile. I recommend keeping it on your menu all year round.

Tomatoes are widely known to be a good source of nutrients. For starters, they are rich in lycopene, which is an antioxidant carotenoid pigment that provides a number of health benefits none of us want to miss out on. This includes the potential to prevent hardened arteries, certain cancers (including those involving the breasts, ovaries, colon, lungs, and bladder), and heart disease. In fact, there is even some evidence to suggest that it may be helpful for people with asthma. And it’s not just the deep-red tomatoes that are rich in lycopene, as some sources have previously suggested. As it turns out, the orange- and tangerine-colored tomatoes are just as good a source, and the lycopene in these tomatoes may be more readily absorbed than from deep-red tomatoes.

But lycopene isn’t all tomatoes have to offer. They are also a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin K, biotin, potassium, B vitamins, and vitamin E. They’re even a good source of protein, folate, zinc, and iron. And don’t forget fiber. Tomatoes are chock-full of that!

Interestingly, there is a way to make tomatoes even more nutritious! How, you ask? Just cook them! The cooking makes those juicy tomatoes even more nutritious. And go ahead and cook them for a while because the longer you cook them, the better. You’re not just making a tasty sauce or stew when you heat fresh tomatoes; you’re actually making them better for your body. Heat changes the lycopene in tomatoes to a form your body can more readily absorb. Fresh is, of course, great, but canned is just fine as well. In fact, canned tomatoes are much higher in phytonutrients, thanks to the heat involved in the canning process. Tomato paste, since it’s concentrated, is even better.

Here are the varieties of tomatoes we carry:

Grape Tomatoes – popular due to their size & sweetness, great in salads or as a healthy snack
Heirloom Tomatoes – from seeds that have been passed down for generations
Campari Tomatoes – known for the juiciness and lack of mealiness
Large Hot House Beefsteak Tomatoes – delicious raw and cooked
Zima Yellow Tomatoes – the sweetest colored tomato
Medley Tomatoes – gourmet mixed medley, mixed sizes like grape tomatoes and plum tomatoes
Stem Tomatoes – great in salads and vegetable bakes
Roma Tomatoes – used for canning, pasta sauce, Italian dishes and tomato paste
Organic Grape Tomatoes
Organic Large Tomatoes

At Nino’s, we are always stocked with multiple varieties of tomatoes. We spend a good amount of time at the Detroit Produce Terminal to find the best and the freshest produce, including tomatoes. Whether you’re looking to make a delicious salad, top a pizza, wow your loved ones with fresh pasta sauce, or just make your sandwiches that much better, we have a fresh selection of tomatoes just waiting for you.
Stop into Nino’s today for fresh, high-quality tomatoes and other produce. We stock what you need, year round.

As always here are a few delicious recipes using tomatoes:

Couscous Stuffed Campari Tomatoes

Alfredo Casserole with Roma Tomatoes and Fresh Basil 

Grape Tomato Ultimate BLT Salad

Fried Green Tomato Fritters

Chopped Heirloom Tomato Salad