Health Benefits of Tomatoes

There are approximately 38 calories in one cup of sliced tomatoes or in one medium tomato. Tomatoes are a low-calorie food, so they can be included as part of a low-calorie diet for weight loss. Using tomatoes is a low-fat way to season foods such as putting salsa on a salad instead of dressing or using tomato sauce on pasta.

A cup of tomato slices has 1.53 grams of protein. They are considered to be fairly low in protein, considering the average adult needs about 55 grams of protein a day or more.

A medium size tomato or a cup of tomato pieces has 8.35 grams of carbohydrates. Compared with foods such as pasta, potatoes and even many green vegetables, tomatoes are considered low in carbohydrates. They are often served as part of a low-carbohydrate diet as a side dish instead of potatoes, bread or fries

Tomatoes have less than a gram of fat. In fact, a medium tomato or a cup of tomato slices has only 0.59 grams of total fat. The type of fat in tomatoes is polyunsaturated fats, specifically linoleic acid, which is healthy for your heart. There are no saturated or artery-clogging fats whatsoever in tomatoes.
Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, E and K. They also contain important minerals such as magnesium, with 19.8 mg per serving, and potassium, with 399.6 mg per serving. Tomatoes also contain antioxidants, which studies suggest can reduce your risk for various types of cancer, especially prostate cancer.