Many people may be concerned that tomatoes may lose their nutrients during the process of being processed into tomato sauce, so they believe that the nutritional value of tomato sauce is not as good as fresh tomatoes. What is the truth? Lycopene is the most significant nutrient in tomatoes. It is a strong antioxidant with excellent anti-cancer (such as prostate cancer and lung cancer) and anti-aging effects. Compared to fresh tomatoes, tomato sauce has two major advantages in supplementing lycopene. The lycopene content of tomato sauce with higher content is more than four times that of fresh tomatoes. Heating during the processing destroys the cell wall, releasing more lycopene, and the concentration process significantly increases its content. Lycopene has a higher absorption rate and is fat soluble. When tomato sauce is cooked, it can be combined with oil to increase absorption rate. However, the content of lycopene in tomato sauce is closely related to the raw materials. When purchasing tomato sauce, it is best to choose one that indicates the lycopene content. Whose nutrients are more concentrated? Many people are concerned that tomato sauce may lose a lot of nutrients during the processing. Next, let's take a look at the content of several nutrients in tomato sauce. The content of vitamin C in raw tomatoes is 19 milligrams per 100 grams, while tomato sauce is slightly inferior in this regard because it loses some of its processing heat. But it doesn't mean that all vitamin C is lost. The acidic environment in tomato sauce helps retain some vitamin C, and the loss is only about 10% -30%. The nutritional components of mineral and dietary fiber tomato sauce are more concentrated, with potassium and dietary fiber content being more than 4 times and 2 times that of tomatoes, respectively. For example, tomato sauce has a potassium content of up to 989 milligrams per 100 grams, making it suitable for hypertensive patients to assist in regulating blood pressure. Tomato sauce retains most of the B vitamins and carotenoids, such as beta carotene, but its folate content is slightly lower than that of fresh tomatoes. These groups of people are more suitable for those who need efficient supplementation of lycopene in tomato sauce, such as those who need to prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, or enhance antioxidant capacity. Tomato sauce is more suitable for people with sensitive stomachs and weak stomachs for cooking and flavor enhancement: Tomato sauce has a moderate acidity and is suitable for stewing and stir frying, enhancing flavor and promoting the absorption of fat soluble nutrients. If the main need is to supplement vitamin C, it is still recommended to eat fresh tomatoes. Tomato sauce ≠ tomato sauce. Tomato sauce tastes sour and sweet. Many people like it, especially children at home. Tomato sauce can be dipped in potatoes, ribs, even Rice noodles, and everything. But tomato sauce and tomato sauce are not exactly the same. Tomato sauce contains sugar, salt, acidifiers, flavor enhancers, and thickeners. In comparison, it has higher calories, sugar, and sodium content. The ingredient list for tomato sauce only includes tomatoes, without any coloring or sugar, preserving the original flavor of tomatoes and having a very low sodium content. That's why it's recommended that everyone eat less tomato sauce and choose tomato sauce instead. At present, there are already "simplified" tomato sauces on the market that only add organic sugar and organic vinegar. Compared to organic tomato sauce, this tomato sauce has almost the same sodium content and 8 grams more carbohydrates per 100 grams. People who are not used to pure tomato sauce can also mix this tomato sauce with tomato sauce and gradually transition to unsweetened pure tomato sauce. Unlock the fancy eating method of tomato sauce. When cooking, use tomato sauce instead of fresh tomatoes, such as tomato beef brisket, tomato shrimp, tomato soup, tomato fried cauliflower and Stir-fried tomato and scrambled eggs. As a barbecue dipping sauce, using tomato sauce as a dipping sauce can increase antioxidant content and reduce the impact of carcinogens in barbecue. Desserts can be made by mixing tomato sauce with yogurt, salad, or juice. They can also be brewed with hot water or added to various soups to easily replenish potassium, carotene, lycopene, and dietary fiber without increasing sugar and salt intake. (New Society)