Tomato
Tomato, Tomate, Tomate, Tomate, Solanum lycopersicum, Raktaphala (रक्तफल)
Botanically, tomatoes are classified as fruit, but in the kitchen, they are treated as a vegetable and belong to the group of so-called fruit-vegetables. In Ayurveda, tomatoes are considered cooling and sour, with light, moist qualities. Fully ripe, red tomatoes are milder compared to unripe green ones. Green tomatoes contain more irritating substances like tomatine and aggravate Vata and Pitta more strongly. Ripe, red tomatoes provide lycopene (antioxidant), vitamin C, and potassium.
increasing (raw), neutral to slightly increasing (cooked)
The sour taste and cooling energy increase Pitta, possibly irritating skin or digestion.
Raw tomatoes can slightly aggravate Kapha; cooked in small amounts they are neutral or mildly balancing.
Akasha ֍ / Vayu ֍ / Tejas ֍֍֍ / Jala ֍֍ / Prithvi ֍
Rasa
sour (amla)
light (laghu), liquid (drava)
Guna
Vipaka
sour
Virja
cooling (shita)
Dhatu
Rasa, Rakta
Relieves thirst, antioxidant cell protection (lycopene), mild protection against free radicals
Heartburn, skin irritation, inflammation, hyperacidity, inflammatory joint conditions, especially with high Pitta constitution
In sauces, soups, curries, chutneys, salads. For Vata and Pitta, always better cooked, ideally with ghee, cumin, turmeric. Green tomatoes should only be eaten cooked – raw they are harder to digest.
