Hey there! Tomatoes are a nutrient-packed superfood that should be on everyone’s plate. They’re considered a ‘functional food,’ offering more than just basic nutrition – they help prevent chronic diseases and offer health benefits, thanks to beneficial phytochemicals like lycopene. Check out our easy, diabetic-friendly tomato soup recipe!

Servings: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 9 medium size tomatoes, cut into two halves each
• 4 medium size onion, finely chopped or 2 cups chopped onion
• 12 cloves of garlic
• 1” piece ginger, finely grated
• 15 black whole pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 4 cups of water

Method: 

Step 1: In a pressure cooker, place halved tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, cumin, and turmeric powder with 4 cups of water. Close the lid and set the cooker on high flame. Once full pressure forms, switch off the stove.

Step 2: Allow the pressure cooker to cool down to room temperature. Open the lid and strain the tomatoes and vegetables using a strainer. Keep the strained soup in a mixing bowl aside.

Step 3: Place the strained vegetables and tomatoes in a blender and blend them.

Step 4: Pass the blended vegetable mix through a strainer into the strained liquid from step 2. Discard the residue of tomato seeds/peels. Mix well.

Step 5: Bring it to a boil again, then let it simmer. Add salt and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Step 6: Pour the soup into bowls and serve it hot.

Health benefits of tomatoes:

Recent developments on the health benefits of tomatoes from MNT news

A tomato-rich diet may reduce breast cancer risk, study shows.

Risk of breast cancer for postmenopausal women may reduce with a tomato-rich diet, after a study showed the diet increased levels of adiponectin – a fat and blood sugar regulator.

Soy And Tomato Combination May Help Prevent Prostate Cancer.

Men who consume plenty of soy and tomato combinations probably have a much lower risk of developing prostate cancer compared to those who don’t.

Tomato extract ‘improves blood vessel function’ in CVD patients

Results of a study published in the journal PLOS One, revealed that CVD patients who received lycopene supplementation showed improved blood vessel response to acetylcholine, compared with healthy volunteers, which indicated normalized endothelial function.

Ref.http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/273031.php

Nick’s kitchen medical Disclaimer:

• Nick’s kitchen is for Vegetarians. It sometimes provides education and support to individuals who want to become vegetarian, or move toward a more vegetarian diet.
• Nick’s kitchen provides some information on vegetarian and vegan diets to the best of their knowledge and abilities.
• Nick’s kitchen does not claim to be health care professional, nutritionist, nor does it claims to treat any illness through vegan or vegetarian diet.
• If you have a medical condition,Nick’s kitchen recommend that you consult your health care professionals before changing your diet.
• Any changes that you make to your diet, and the results of those changes, are your decision and your responsibility.