Tomato Powder – Organic

Tomato Powder is made from ripe tomatoes that are carefully dried and ground into a fine, flavorful powder. With its naturally sweet and tangy taste, it’s a convenient way to enjoy the essence of tomatoes without the need for fresh produce. It mixes easily into soups, sauces, and stews, or can be used as a seasoning in rubs and spice blends.

Shelf-stable and versatile, tomato powder is also perfect for enhancing pasta dishes, casseroles, dips, and even baked goods. Its rich color and concentrated flavor make it an easy pantry staple for adding depth and a burst of tomato taste to recipes year-round.

For good reasons, tomatoes are considered a superstar and significant player in the various versions of the world-renowned Mediterranean diet. Tomatoes are considered a staple food in this well-researched lifestyle. This delicious food not only can leave your tastebuds dancing but can also hold its own regarding its versatility and treasure trove of highly nourishing properties.

Before discussing all of the impressive scientific information about tomatoes, here are some interesting facts about this tremendous food:

1. Tomatoes are not vegetables; they are fruits. The traditional definition of a vegetable is a plant or part of a plant used as food. Therefore, in the world of botany, vegetables don’t exist; they are an umbrella term for many types of edible plants. According to most botanical guides, no part of the plant is named a vegetable. A fruit is defined as “a fleshy or dry ripened ovary of a flowing plant enclosing the seed or seeds.” When we consume plants, we consume the root, shoot, stem, leaf, flower, sea pod, or seed. Tomatoes form a flower and contain a seed; therefore, they are a fruit.
2. Tomatoes are not always red. They come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Color may not influence a tomato’s flavor as much as size does. Small cherry tomatoes most often have the sweetest flavor.
3. There are approximately 15,000 known varieties of tomatoes, with over 3000 varieties of both heirloom and heritage tomatoes.
4. Tomatoes have traveled to outer space. The first tomato was grown and harvested in outer space.
5. Approximately 95% of a tomato’s weight is water. 
6. Much like the original carrot was not orange, the first tomato was not red. The original color of tomatoes was gold. Due to their appearance, they were given the name “golden apples,” and the French were convinced they were aphrodisiacs, naming them “love apples.”
7. Tomatoes have been recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. A single tomato plant weighing around 1152 pounds produced approximately 32,000 Tomatoes in one year from May 2005 through April 2006. The largest individual tomato ever grown weighed 11.65 pounds.
8. Tomatoes can keep longer if you store them in a stem-down position.
9. Around 93% of American gardening households grow tomatoes, making them the most popular home-grown produce.
10. Green tomatoes will ripen faster if you store them with apples due to the natural release of ethylene gas.
11. Tomatoes are the state fruit of Ohio, and tomato juice is Ohio’s official beverage. 
12. Tomatoes come in various colors, including green, red, orange, purple, brown, pink, and black.

Because tomatoes are very versatile and come in a wide variety, offering different flavors, texture profiles, and visual appeal, pairing the correct tomato for specific purposes is essential to getting the most out of your food and recipe experience.

1. The best tomatoes for sandwiches: When pairing a tomato for your sandwich, you want to pick a firm variety with a meaty and juicy texture that lends to its hardiness. The top two choices would be beefsteak tomatoes, which have a meaty and juicy texture, or Roma tomatoes, which have fewer seeds and moisture, producing a slightly different mouth feel.
2. The best tomato choices for canning: The top choices are often based on varieties with firm flesh, low moisture content, low seed count, and a mild to sweet flavor. Therefore, Roma and San Marzano are the go-to picks for this specific purpose.
3. Top tomato varieties: While this topic is subjective, growing conditions and intended use determine the top three spots. Therefore, beefsteak, Roma, and cherry tomatoes take the top three spots.

The following are some rare and unusual tomatoes that bring some unique attributes to flavor, texture, and visual profile to your culinary experience:

1. Cherokee purple tomatoes are considered by many to be some of the best salad tomatoes. Their deep flavor creates a beautiful balance of sweetness and acidity.
2. Neelo’s plum tomatoes are a favorite for cooking a beautiful pasta sauce or soup. They can also be bottled as chopped tomatoes or dried and stored in olive oil.
3. Burmese sour tomatoes are another unique variety often used in sour cuisine and commonly used in curries.
4. Syrian Stuffer tomatoes from Syria grow large and sturdy, making them the perfect choice for grilling, stuffing with delicious ingredients, or as a part of mozzarella and basil salads.

Powdered vs. Fresh: Are There Benefits of Consuming a Tomato Powder?

The idea that we can’t replace fresh food with a powder to nourish our body is simply untrue. As we have mentioned in many of our previous articles and product descriptions, powdered functional superfoods are tremendously versatile, unlimitedly able to create new and exciting products, and have unique advantages over the fresh version of those foods. There are many significant advantages to using powders, especially tomatoes. To be clear, we are not suggesting or recommending that you use this as a replacement to make a fresh traditional tomato sauce. Let’s face it: nothing beats Grandma’s Sunday gravy.  However, our tomato powder has many other applications.

It is vital to understand one of the most important processes that ultimately determine the quality of powdered food: the drying process. It is no secret that air and moisture are powdered food’s greatest enemies. Thanks to our meticulous food preservation techniques, we can create a powdered food product without adding preservatives and chemicals and create a more versatile end product that is as highly nutrient-dense as the fresh version. You can trust that our tomato powder is of the highest quality, preserving the natural goodness of tomatoes.

However, it is essential to note two critical points:

1. The quality of the raw materials at the beginning predominantly determines the final product.
2. Not every food responds the same to these different methods. Therefore, using the correct method for each food is vital to get the best result. For example, berries respond very well to freeze-drying. In contrast, carrots and apples do best when air-dried, and cheese and butter powders respond well to spray-drying. 

While there are many natural ways to dry foods and preserve their nutritional qualities, including low temperature, shade, air, sun, and freeze-drying, the quality of the raw materials predominantly determines the final product. Ultimately, creating the most nutrient-dense and versatile tomato powder is best achieved through spray-drying. This method is a testament to efficiency and practicality. The tomato pulp is efficiently sprayed into a stream of hot air, and as the droplets descend through a tall cylinder, they dry and transform into a fine powder. A spray-dried product averages up to 1% moisture content; therefore, it allows for more accessible storage options and blending capability, as well as supporting the natural flavor profile of the fresh food version.

How to get the most nourishment from tomatoes

One of the most essential points to understand if you want to get the most out of your tomatoes is that carotenoids are fat-soluble compounds. Therefore, they are best utilized when dietary fats are present. 

According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the bioavailability of carotenoids from most foods is relatively low. This is believed to be because carotenoids are associated with the proteins in the plant matrix. The Linus Pauling Institute also stated

1. For dietary carotenoids to be absorbed intestinally, they must be released from the food matrix and incorporated into mixed micelles (mixtures of bile salts and several types of lipids).
2. Carotenoid absorption requires fat in a meal, although the minimum amount of dietary fat required may differ for each carotenoid.
3. The type of fat (e.g., medium-chain vs. long-chain triglycerides), the presence of soluble fiber, and the type and amount of carotenoids ( esterified vs. non-esterified) in the food also appear to influence the rate and extent of carotenoid absorption.
4. Because they do not need to be released from the plant matrix, carotenoid supplements (in oil) are more efficiently absorbed than food.

The following was stated in a study examining the Influence of cooking procedures on the bioavailability of lycopene in tomatoes. “ Raw crushed tomato consumption did not significantly influence plasma lycopene concentration. Consumption of raw crushed tomato with olive oil and cooked tomatoes with olive oil significantly increased blood lycopene levels.”

Finally, the following was stated in a comparative study looking at the effects of cooking with olive versus sunflower oil on the antioxidant activity of tomatoes.

1. Consumption of tomato products with olive oil significantly raised the plasma antioxidant activity (FRAP) from 930 +/- 150 to 1118 +/- 184 micromol/l, p <.01), but no effect was observed when the sunflower oil was used.
2. The change (supplementation minus start values) in FRAP following the consumption of tomato products with oil was significantly higher for olive oil (190 +/- 101) than for sunflower oil (-9.6 +/- 99, p <. 005).

Therefore, it was concluded that “the study results show that consumption of tomato products with olive oil but not with sunflower oil improves the antioxidant activity of the plasma.

Tomatoes: A Treasure trove of Nourishment

Polyphenols are a term used to describe a general category of compounds found in a broad spectrum of fruits, vegetables, and tea that work as “reducing agents” along with other compounds known as antioxidants to support a healthy inflammation response and the body’s ability to protect and repair damaged tissue caused by oxidative stress. While over 8,000 polyphenols have been identified, some of the most common are flavonoids, flavonols, and anthocyanins. The importance of discussing these various compounds allows you to more clearly understand the wide range and complexity of nourishment you are getting from these powerful foods.

Flavonols are polyphenols belonging to the flavonoid family with a ketone group studied for their wide range of biological activities(antioxidant, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, modulating inflammation, and vasodilation). They primarily accumulate in the outer tissues (skin and leaves) of fruits and vegetables, are the building blocks of proanthocyanins (compounds attributed to the colors of fruits and vegetables), and are most widespread in the human diet.

Anthocyanins are a part of the flavonoid family of polyphenolic compounds. They represent the pigments that exhibit the bright red, purple, and blue colors found in fruits and vegetables. The six most common are Cyanidins, Delphinidins, Malvidins, Peonidins, Petunidins, and Pelargonidins.

Carotenoids: The Superstar compounds in Tomatoes

Carotenoids are a class of red, orange, or yellow fat-soluble pigments produced by plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. There are more than 600 types of carotenoids (some of the most common include alpha and beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, and beta-cryptoxanthin), all with unique attributes that are researched for their ability to take on antioxidant-like qualities potentially. Carotenoids are classified into two primary groups: Xanthophylls (primarily protect from too much sunlight, contain oxygen, more yellow pigment, and are associated with nourishing the eyes), which closely associate with green leafy vegetables, and Carotenes(have no oxygen and are associated with orange pigment).

1. Carotenoids are a class of red, orange, or yellow fat-soluble pigments produced by plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. There are more than 600 types of carotenoids(some of the most common include alpha and beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, and beta-cryptoxanthin), all with unique attributes that are researched for their potential ability to take on antioxidant-like qualities.
2. Carotenoids are classified into two primary groups: Xanthophylls (primarily protect from too much sunlight, contain oxygen, more yellow pigment, and are associated with nourishing the eyes), which closely associate with green leafy vegetables, and Carotenes (have no oxygen and are associated with orange pigment).

In an article titled “Foods of the Mediterranean diet: tomato, olives, chili pepper, wheat flour, and wheat germ,” the following was discussed regarding the value of tomato consumption,  “Dietary consumption of ripe red tomatoes (rich in polyphenols such as lycopene, flavanones and flavones and carotenoids such as phytoene, β-carotene and lycopene) has beneficial chemoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-genotoxic and antiproliferative effects. Tomato has been studied for its biologically active compounds.”

Quercetin: The Unsung Hero of Tomatoes

While apples and onions are the “foods of choice” when acquiring quercetin, tomatoes can proudly stand on the winner’s podium as a quality source of this powerful compound. Quercetin is considered the primary flavonol and one of the most essential flavinoids in tomatoes, averaging one to four milligrams per 100 grams. This compound is being aggressively studied for its ability to support a healthy aging process through multiple mechanisms of action. In one human study, quercetin showed its ability to inhibit inflammation by increasing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARy), which was shown to antagonize nuclear factor kappa b (NFKB), a protein complex at the top of the inflammation cascade that controls transcription of DNA, cytokine production, and cell proliferation.

In another human study, quercetin was revealed to inhibit glucose uptake through the increased activation of activated protein kinase (AMPK). This enzyme plays a role in cellular energy homeostasis, activating glucose and fatty acid uptake when cell energy is low. The activation of AMPK stimulates Akt (protein kinase B that regulates glucose metabolism) and glucose transporter 4 (GLTU4), responsible for glucose uptake in fat and muscle cells.

In a review discussing the therapeutic potential of quercetin as a cardiovascular agent, it was stated, “Quercetin exhibits significant heart-related benefits such as inhibition of LDL oxidation, endothelium-independent vasodilator effects, reduction of adhesion molecules and other inflammatory markers, the protective effect on nitric oxide and endothelial function under conditions of oxidative stress, prevention of neuronal oxidative and inflammatory damage and antiaggregant platelet effects.”

Summary of Important Information

Z Natural Foods hand-picks specific ingredients for our customers based on three concepts to provide the best quality product possible to support optimal well-being.

1. Versatility
2. History of safe and effective usage
3. Strong evidence of positive research outcomes in human

Important summary points

Tomatoes are very versatile and come in a wide variety, offering different flavors, texture profiles, and visual appeal; pairing the correct tomato for specific purposes is essential to getting the most out of your food and recipe experience.

1. The best tomatoes for sandwiches: You want to pick a firm variety with a meaty and juicy texture that lends to its heartiness. The top two choices would be beefsteak tomatoes, which have a meaty and juicy texture, or Roma tomatoes, which have fewer seeds and moisture, producing a slightly different mouth feel.
2. The best tomato choices for canning: The top choices are often based on varieties with firm flesh, low moisture content, low seed count, and a mild to sweet flavor. Therefore, Roma and San Marzano are the go-to picks for this specific purpose.
3. Top tomato varieties: While this topic is subjective, growing conditions and intended use determine the top three spots. Therefore, beefsteak, Roma, and cherry tomatoes take the top three spots.
4. The idea that we can’t replace fresh food with a powder to nourish our body is simply untrue. As we have mentioned in many of our previous articles and product descriptions, powdered functional superfoods are tremendously versatile, unlimitedly able to create new and exciting products, and have unique advantages over the fresh version of those foods. There are many significant advantages to using powders, especially tomatoes.
5. One of the most essential points to understand if you want to get the most out of your tomatoes is that carotenoids are fat-soluble compounds. Therefore, they are best utilized when dietary fats are present. 
6. Carotenoids are a class of red, orange, or yellow fat-soluble pigments produced by plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. There are more than 600 types of carotenoids(some of the most common include alpha and beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, and beta-cryptoxanthin), all with unique attributes that are researched for their ability to take on antioxidant-like qualities potentially. Carotenoids are classified into two primary groups: Xanthophylls(primarily protect from too much sunlight, contain oxygen, more yellow pigment, and are associated with nourishing the eyes), which closely associate with green leafy vegetables, and Carotenes (have no oxygen and are associated with orange pigment).

This product is 100% natural and minimally processed. Taste, smell, texture, and color vary from batch to batch. Due to its nature, this powder tends to clump a lot! When clumping occurs, lay the bag on a flat surface and place a towel over the bag. Then pound on the bag until the clumps break up. The towel will help protect the bag from damage.

Suggested Use: Mix Organic Tomato Powder with water to make sauce, paste, or juice, or add to your favorite recipe. Adjust the amount of powder to achieve desired consistency. For Tomato Sauce, mix 1/2 cup of tomato powder with one cup of water. For Tomato Paste, mix 1/2 cup of tomato powder with 1/2 cup of water.

Mixing suggestions: To increase flavor and nutritional profile, combine with our organic kale, spinach, and carrot powders.

Botanical Name: Lycopersicon esculentum
Other Names: Golden Apple, Love Apple, Tomast, Common tomato, Tomate, Pomodoro.

Parts Used: Whole Tomato (including seeds and skin).
Ingredients: Organic Tomato Powder.
Origin: Grown and dried in the USA and packaged with care in Florida, USA.
Certifications: Certified USDA Organic.