Tomatoes, which are rich in a powerful antioxidant known as lycopene, have been proven useful in promoting heart health. In many cases, they can help to lower high blood pressure as well as assist in preventing heart disease. While these delicious fruits are wonderful all on their own, the truth is that few of us would eat large enough quanities of them every day to have the kind of impact we might want. However, by using them in the more condensed and intensified version of tomatoe suace, we broaden the number of ways that tomatoes can be used in our daily meals.
Instructions
1. Use all-natural tomato sauce for the best nutritional and health impact. Make your own tomato sauce or shop for organic and/or other versions that are not packed with extra chemicals and preservatives. Extra chemical ingredients can actually do more damage that not using tomato sauce at all.
2. Mix the tomato sauce with other heart healthy ingredients whenever possible. For example, if you must use oil in your chosen recipe, choose olive oil rather than canola or vegetable oil. Olive oil, added to tomatoes actually helps to enhance the fruits flavor and increases its curative values. Add a little garlic for yet another heart healthy ingredient to expand the product's health impact.
3. Pick the leanest type of meat products in recipes that contain both tomato and a ground meat of some kind. Try ground round rather than ground meat, which tends to be fattier in nature. Better yet, choose buffalo, which provides the leanest type of meat of all while also offering an extra dose of healthy protein.
4. Use tomato sauce to make your own tomato or V8 style juice. You will experience more than five times the amount of natural tomato goodness and nutrient benefits without all of the additives and preservatives found in most canned juices.
5. Make homemade tomato soup with tomato sauce and other ingredients like sour cream vegetable stock, heavy cream, or any other ingredients that you typically use in your tomato soup.
6. Substitute tomato sauces for other types of sauces or gravies in recipes. For example, instead of a beef gravy served over a meatloaf, use a tomato sauce topping.
7. Use tomato sauce for whole tomatoes in recipes that call for them. Chances are the food will taste better and you will get the additional benefit of a tomato's heart healthy benefit without the bulk of a whole tomato.
8. Rather than making a meat sauce for spaghetti, simply add some hearty healthy tomato sauce along with garlic, oregano, Italian seasoning, or any other spices that you like to use. Increase the heart healthy benefit of the meal by choosing to use whole wheat or multi-grained pasta instead of the traditional white pasta. If you want you can even add a few fresh tomatoes on top for a stronger tomato taste or as a garnish.
9. Use tomato sauce as a substitute for tomato juice in drinks like a Bloody Mary, rather than pre-canned tomato juice. Mix up your own natural juice for the occasion. It can be a supplement for your diet to ensure that you have a sufficient amount of lycopene in your diet.
10. Use tomato sauce as a supplement for your diet to ensure that you have a sufficient amount of lycopene in your diet.
Tags: tomato sauce, tomato sauce, heart healthy, your diet, your tomato, amount lycopene, amount lycopene your