10 Reasons Why Growing Tomatoes is Beneficial

What Are The Advantages Of Growing Tomatoes?

There are 10 reasons why growing tomatoes is beneficial. Tomatoes are like a gateway fruit/vegetable for gardening. They are forgiving and strong and have the ability to thrive under difficult conditions. Give them a little room, support and some sun and tomatoes will shoot up high and expand. Here are the 10 reasons why you should consider growing tomatoes in the city. 

1. Tomatoes Are Easy To Grow

These delicious red juicy vegetables are easy to grow. In my first year of growing tomatoes, one may have assumed I had been gardening for years. When you take a look at the veg edible garden I grew in the first year of gardening, the results are impressive. In the Update: Tomato Gardening At Home, there is information on what happened with the tomatoes in 2021. Mistakes were made and yet they still came through. It is also possible to grow tomatoes on your balcony, as long as they receive some sun and the elements are not extreme, such as strong winds, storms, cold, etc. 

2. Saves You Money

Store-bought tomatoes are expensive. Buying them from the grocery store every time you go is not cheap. You can easily spend $5.00-$10.00 on tomatoes bi-weekly, saving you around $80.00 throughout the summer. Also by growing your own, you make the money back in double because you are eating your own food for free. 

3. Rewarding

Growing tomatoes is rewarding. You will feel useful, self-sufficient, successful and proud. To see that we are surrounded by seeds that have the potential to flourish is a gift. We have the ability to do something with it. There is the potential to have so much food that multiplies without any strain to a healthy person. If you can do something on your own without spending money on it, that is a rewarding experience.

4. Tomatoes Are A Versatile Ingredient

With growing tomatoes there are a variety of recipe options on what to make. In the first year I grew so many tomatoes that I made enough pasta sauce to fill 4 large mason jars. Additionally the tomatoes grown that year served for several home dishes, such as in sandwiches, pastas and salads. 

The more you grow, the more you have options to make a variety of foods. I hope to grow a good amount of tomatoes this year to make something that will be shared in the near future. You have a variety of options to make delicious sauces and foods. 

5. Tomatoes Are Good For Your Health

Tomatoes are really good for you. They are high in vitamin C, potassium and fibre. Tomatoes are said to be good for your heart. They help in the health of your heart and are good for helping lower the risk of heart disease. Making your own tomato paste or sauce is not only easy, but it will keep your heart happy.

Lycopene is a pigment in red tomatoes as well as an antioxidant, which helps reduce the rick of heart disease and cancer. There is a theory that tomatoes are not good for people with arthritis. If you have information that this is the case, please share it in the comments section as nothing I have found indicates this to be so. However, there is some myth surrounding this topic. If you have arthritis and are concerned, ask your trusted doctor or a nutritionist for more information.

6. Tomatoes Are Good For Your Skin

If you cannot eat tomatoes or do not like the taste of them, apply them on your skin. Tomatoes have several benefits for your skin. Although I do not do this often enough, tomatoes are said to reduce the blackheads and whiteheads on our faces. They help soothe wounds and heal sun burns. If you have acne, applying it on your skin can help reduce them. They also help in tightening the skin and may have anti-aging properties. They help even out our skin tones. I may need to get some tomatoes growing because some of these blemishes mentioned are showing up on my skin. 

Do Tomatoes  Make Your Hair Grow?

The vitamins, minerals and antioxidants present in tomatoes help your hair and scalp which further boosts hair growth. The antioxidants present in tomatoes prevent oxidative stress of your scalp.  Also, tomatoes are high in vitamin A and C which help build stronger hair strands.

7. Abundant Harvest Yield

Expect to receive a lot from when you give just a little. These vegetables are truly resilient and strong. They have a will to live. One seed will give you many tomatoes, although I do not know exactly how many. People who are not green thumbs and not interested in gardening will find growing tomatoes a breeze. Eventually, with your own eyes, you will witness how much tomatoes want to grow and with a little love and care, they will exceed our expectations. You will receive a huge abundance in growing your own tomatoes. Plant them at least 1 – 1.5 feet apart so they can grow.

8. Amazing Taste

Tomatoes taste delicious. They are essential in so many mouth watering dishes. I use tomatoes in several foods. Without them it seems like something is missing. They are used when cooking vegetables, making lentils, used for pastes, sauces and basic fresh slices on toasted bread.

Tomatoes are tasty and a little hard to miss out on our diet. Tomatoes are good to eat for our breakfast, lunch or dinner.

9. Better Digestion

How Can Tomatoes Help With Digestion?

Eating tomatoes regularly helps improve your digestion. They are high in fibre. One tomato has 1.5 grams of fibre and is only 22 calories. Eating tomatoes also help with preventing diarrhoea and constipation. Too much of anything is not good for you. If you over-eat then there are adverse consequences.

Eating too many tomatoes can cause acid reflux and can cause heart burn. This is because of the build up of gastric acid in the stomach. As long as you eat within reason, you can enjoy good eating and maintain a healthy digestion. Make sure to eat in moderation to prevent adverse effects.

10. Tomatoes Are Good For The Eyes

Eating tomatoes are said to be good for your eye health. Not only applying them on your eyes to help reduce dark circles or puffiness, but eating them are also good for the eyes. Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, lutein, and beta-carotene. These antioxidants protect your eyes from damaged caused by light, prevent cataracts, and other age-related  degeneration.  

Summary

Tomatoes are a good vegetable to grow in your garden from 2020 and beyond. Once you get the hang of growing them and end up making delicious sauces, pastes and dishes from it, you will feel encouraged to try again the next year. I have started my seeds and will share more coming soon.

Hopefully these 10 reasons why growing tomatoes is beneficial will encourage you to start your garden in the city.

May 2, 2022