Tomatoes are a classical example of the
fact that theories of nutrition gain more
and more influence in the nation’s diet-
ary. The consumption of tomato juice in
the United States increased from near
zero to ten million boxes within seven
years, and this fact shows the influence of
dietetic education; for tomato juices are
consumed mainly because people who want
to be healthy are striving to take in pure
vitamins. Twenty years ago 10,000,000
bushels of tomatoes were grown for the
American market,—now 20,000,000 bushels
are grown annually. In 1939 the output of
tomato juice in the United States was
nearly 400,000,000 cans. This amount has
steadily increased.
The tomato originated in Peru, and
Spaniards and Portuguese brought the
“tamati’ to Europe from South America in
the sixteenth century. Since those days,
it has been popular in the southern
countries of Europe. It is wholesome, and
because of its content in vitamins and
minerals, valuable to any diet, especially in
Italy as a supplement to the favorite dishes
of macaroni and spaghetti, in Spain and the
South of France to the popular beans.
Maybe the tomato first arrived in Portugal,
because in France dishes made with tomato
are still known as “a la portugaise.”
Tomatoes were not known in the north-
ern countries of Europe until a few decades
ago, but they have become a really popular,
everyday food during the past few years.
When tomatoes were introduced into
Europe some centuries ago, they were re-
garded as poisonous “love apples.” To-
matoes are the edible fruit of Lycopersicon
esculentum, a plant of the nightshade
family, and this plant family contains
several poisonous members. In England,
during the seventeenth century, tomatoes
were grown for their decorative, orna-
mental appearance; the really gallant
young blade of this time delivered a growing
tomato plant to wife or sweetheart as a
token of his love. Sir Walter Raleigh de-
livered a particularly exotic specimen of the
plant, grown on Roanoke Island, to Queen
Elizabeth, but tomatoes were a very popu-
lar food already in Dickens's time. Mr.
Pickwick made a choice of chops and to-
mato sauce,
At the beginning of the nineteenth cen-
tury, the tomato was reimported into its
native America. There goes a story that
during the War of 1812, an artist, a painter
of naval battles, decided to find out whether
this plant had any value as a food. Against
the advice of well-meaning friends he ate a
tomato and, to their surprise, he lived.
From then on, the tomato had lost its fame
as a poison, and rapidly grew in popularity,
Tomatoes in every way play a continu-
ally increasing role as a daily food, as well
as in finer cooking and in the diet of sick
persons. Their usefulness has been proved,
even In cases of gout, and this is in sharp
contrast to a former belief that they were to
be excluded entirely from the diet of gouty
persons. Tomatoes, as well as cucumbers
and melons, are considered by experts as
AUGUST, 1942
dissolvinguric-acid stones and gravel in the
body.
They have been permitted without re-
striction to diabetic patients whose diet is
still restricted in many points, even now
after the valuable discovery of insulin.
They are valuable also for patients suffer-
ing from chronic kidney diseases—a fact of
which doctors were formerly rather doubt-
ful. Freshly made tomato juice also 1s
given to patients suffering from gastric
ulcer, provided they like it. Tomatoes are,
furthermore, a big help in reducing diets,
in any form—raw or cooked or stewed—
because the caloric content of tomatoes 1s
not high while they produce quickly the
sensation of satiety. In cases where a raw-
fruit diet 1s desired or preseribed, tomatoes
are of great value.
The main quality of the versatile tomato
which causes many persons to consume it
every day, 1s its extreme richness in several
vitamins. The tomato is particularly rich
in vitamin C, which must be given to the
body in fresh condition every day. Ripe
and green tomatoes have a large content of
vitamin C, and the canned tomatoes are
not much less rich in vitamin C. Further-
more they contain vitamin A-—and this
vitamin is frequently contained in an in-
sufficient quantity in cheap forms of diet.
They contain also vitamin B, besides iron
and other metals, magnesium, phosphorus,
calcium, potassium, and sulphur. The
American custom to take a glass of fruit
juice before or with breakfast—and also
with other meals—is very wholesome.
Many people prefer a glass of tomato juice
to fruit juice, and thus they get the proper
amount of vitamins. IFor many years to-
mato juice has been given to babies.
Cooked spinach and canned tomatoes are
approximately of equal value as a source
of iron to the child's diet,—according to
the research work of Tisdall,—in spite
of the fact that the total iron content of
spinach is more than three times that of
tomatoes. Spinach, although it contains
0.19 per cent of calcium, an amount 20
times greater than that found in tomatoes,
actually tends to produce a negative cal-
cium balance; the retention of the calcium
in cooked tomatoes is excellent. The vita-
min A content of cooked spinach 1s four
times as great as that of canned tomatoes,
the vitamin B content of spinach is one-
half that of tomatoes, and the vitamin C
content of spinach is less than one-fourth
that of canned tomatoes.
In America tomato juice is, as a rule,
taken chilled. At parties both fruit juice
and tomato juice are served, and both
chilled. There is no doubt that the popu-
larity of the tomato—as juice, sauce,
salad, or cooked—has not yet reached its
peak.
Two Meals a Day
Is a two-meal-a-day program better than
three? G. A. S.
Not infrequently persons suffering from
digestive disturbances find their troubles
disappear when they give more time for
their food to digest and adopt a two-meal-
a-day program. In any case hearty evening
meals, unless eaten early, are liable in time
to result in impaired digestion. The ideal
plan would be to have the hearty meal
about one or two o'clock, with a little fruit
in the evening. A light noon lunch and an
early evening dinner may do fairly well
where the members of the family are unable
to get together in the middle of the day.
Dizziness
What 1s the likely cause of dizzy spells in a
woman aged forty-six? L. R. K.
Dizziness may have a variety of causes,
including disease of the internal ear or seri-
ous brain lesions such as tumors, but in the
great majority of cases, especially in women
at or near the menopause, it is due to nerv-
ous exhaustion or nerve strain. Oftentimes
in these cases it is only necessary to secure
more rest and sleep, together with freedom
fror~ worry, to clear up the symptoms.
Look well to the elimination, select the
The NOCTOR REPLIES to HEALTH OUERIES ...
Medical and hygienic information of value lo the general reader is given here by
Owen S. Parrelt, M. D. Inquirers may address the doctor in care of this magazine.
diet carefully; if necessary, take a prescrip-
tion containing some extra vitamins, es-
pecially B complex, and the symptoms
should disappear.
Is Aluminum Dangerous?
Can the use of aluminum cooking ware re-
sult tn potsoning or cause cancer? B.A. R.
Probably most of us get more aluminum
from the dust we take in with food and
breathing than any we might get from
aluminum cooking ware. Careful tests
made on small animals would tend to show
that it would take fourteen times as much
aluminum as we ordinarily would get from
using cooking utensils to produce visible
toxic effects. There seems to be little
reason to fear the use of aluminum ware.
A Correction
In our June issue, under the heading,
“ Dandruff and Falling Hair,” we published
in our medical column a formula in which
the word ‘“drams” should have read
“ounces.” The formula as corrected by our
physician reads as follows: Resorcin, two
drams; glycerin, two drams; alcohol, six
ounces. This lotion is to be applied at
intervals, and massaged into the scalp.
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