Tomato plant origin. Application in various fields
Tomatoes, by the way they are used, should be considered vegetables since they were served for lunch, not dessert (although the court noted that botanically speaking, tomatoes are fruits).
Name
The name "tomato" comes from the Italian. pomo d "oro - "golden apple." The word "tomato" goes back to the Aztec name for the plant "tomatl" through the French French tomate. At the moment, in Russian, both names are equal.
Biological features
The tomato has a highly developed root system of the rod type. The roots are branched, grow and form quickly. They go into the ground to a great depth (with a seedless culture up to 1 m or more), spreading in diameter by 1.5-2.5 m. In the presence of moisture and nutrition, additional roots can form on any part of the stem, so the tomato can be propagated not only seeds, but also cuttings and side shoots (stepchildren). Put in water, they form roots in a few days.
Composition of tomato fruits
Tomato fruits are distinguished by high nutritional, taste and dietary qualities. Ripe fruit calories the energy value) - 19 kcal. They contain 4.5-8.1% dry matter, in which half are sugars, mainly glucose and fructose, as well as organic acids (3.5-8.5%), fiber (0.87-1.7% ) . The fruits also contain proteins (0.6-1.1%), pectin substances (up to 0.3%), starch (0.07-0.3%), minerals (0.6%). Tomato fruits have a high content of carotenoids (phytoene, neurosporin, lycopene, non-alicopene, carotene (0.8-1.2 mg / 100 g of wet weight), lycosanthin, lycophyll), vitamins (B 1, B 2, B 3, B 5 ), folic and ascorbic acids (15-45 mg / 100 g wet weight), organic (citric, malic, oxalic, tartaric, succinic, glycolic), high molecular weight fatty (palmitic, stearic, linoleic) and phenol carbonic (p-coumaric, coffee , ferulic) acids. Anthocyanins, stearins, triterpene saponins, abscisic acid were found in the fruits.
Classification
Currently, there are several classifications of tomatoes. Russia has adopted the traditional Brezhnev classification. Traditional classification treats tomatoes as members of the genus Lycopersicon Tourn. In 1964, the Soviet plant breeder D. D. Brezhnev in the genus Lycopersicon three types have been identified:
- Peruvian tomato Lycopersicon peruvianum Brezhnev
- hairy tomato Lycopersicon hirsutum Humb. et Bonpl.
- common tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.
Most complete classification kind Lycopersicon is the classification of the American professor C. Rick (C.M. Rick; 1915-2002), who described 9 types of tomatoes:
- Lycopersicon cheesmanii,
- Lycopersicon chilense,
- Lycopersicon chmielewskii,
- Lycopersicon esculentum,
- Lycopersicon hirsutum,
- Lycopersicon parviflorum,
- Lycopersicon pennellii,
- Lycopersicon peruvianum,
- Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium.
Modern botanists who adhere to the phylogenetic approach consider the genus Lycopersicon paraphyletic, on the basis of which tomatoes are attributed to the genus Nightshade ( Solanum). In connection with this approach, the same plants have synonymous names:
In practice, gardeners continue to use traditional names, while in strictly botanical literature the second option is used.
Tomato varieties
Usage
Tomato today is one of the most popular crops due to its valuable nutritional and dietary qualities, a wide variety of varieties, and high responsiveness to the cultivation methods used. It is cultivated in open ground, under film shelters, in greenhouses, greenhouses, on balconies, loggias and even in rooms on windowsills.
Tomato fruits are eaten fresh, boiled, fried, canned, they are used to prepare tomato paste, tomato puree, tomato juice, ketchup and other sauces, lecho. In Spain, cold tomato soups are popular - gazpacho, salmorejo. In the former USSR, it is customary to pickle tomatoes for the winter (see pickled tomatoes).
Implementation in Europe
In the middle of the 16th century, the tomato came to Spain and Portugal, and then to France, Italy and others. European countries. For a long time, tomatoes were considered inedible and even poisonous. European gardeners bred them as an exotic ornamental plant. The earliest recipe for a tomato dish was published in a cookbook in Naples in 1692, with the author referring to the fact that this recipe comes from Spain.
In the 18th century, the tomato came to Russia, where it was also first cultivated as an ornamental plant, since the berries did not fully ripen. The plant was recognized as a vegetable food crop thanks to the Russian agronomist A. T. Bolotov, who managed to achieve full ripeness of tomatoes with the help of seedling method cultivation and ripening method.
Agricultural technology
Tomato is a heat-demanding crop, optimum temperature for plant growth and development 22-25 °C: at temperatures below 10 °C, the pollen in the flowers does not ripen and the unfertilized ovary disappears. Tomatoes are not tolerant high humidity air, but requires a lot of water for fruit growth. Tomato plants are demanding on light. With its deficiency, the development of plants is delayed, the leaves turn pale, the formed buds fall off, the stems are strongly drawn out. Additional lighting during the seedling period improves the quality of seedlings and increases plant productivity.
seeds
The seeds are small, flat, pointed at the base, light or dark yellow, usually pubescent, as a result of which they have a gray tint. Physiologically mature they become already in green, formed fruits. Germination is maintained for 6-8 years. With favorable temperature conditions and the presence of moisture, the seeds germinate in 3-4 days. The first true leaf usually appears 6-10 days after germination, the next 3-4 leaves - after another 5-6 days, then each new leaf formed in 3-5 days. Beginning with young age grow in leaf axils side shoots(stepchildren). The duration of the period from germination to flowering of the plant is 50-70 days, from flowering to fruit ripening 45-60 days.
Growing technology
Pests, diseases and methods of dealing with them Phoma destructiva Plowr. ),
There are also diseases different nature, manifested in the cracking of fruits, twisting of the leaves of tomatoes.
monuments
Tomato appeared on the territory of Russia relatively recently, being at first an ornamental culture. The ancient Aztecs used it for medicinal purposes, and it is thanks to their records that South America is considered the birthplace of the tomato. For a long time, its fruits were considered poisonous and were not eaten. Today, tomatoes are used in the preparation of many dishes and are loved by everyone.
Origin of the tomato family
The tomato began its journey from the Galapagos Islands, where it was grown by the ancient Aztecs in apothecary beds and was called "tomatl". The fruits of the plant were used to treat certain diseases, and the leaves were used to repel insects. This information is reflected in the literature of the 16th century.
On the territory of the homeland of tomatoes today is Mexico, where in the natural habitat you can still find interesting forms of this plant with small fruits.
Some scientific researchers defend the opinion that the tomato is originally from Peru. There is evidence that this plant existed already in the 5th century BC, and it was the Peruvians who grew it.
Tomato seeds were supposedly brought to Europe in the 16th century by the Spaniards, who were the first to set foot on the land of America. 100 years after the discovery of America, the plant spread to Spain, then to Portugal and further throughout European territory.
It is noteworthy that although tomatoes were grown and eaten by the Aztecs already before the arrival of Europeans in America, in the same America, this plant was considered poisonous until the middle of the 19th century. They even tried to poison the future President George Washington at that time. Of course, the attempt failed, because the tomatoes are quite edible, and even very tasty.
For many years, Europeans also considered this plant poisonous. And only in the 17th century, or rather, in 1692, they tried to use the exotic fruits of this plant in cooking. We dared to do it in Spain. I liked the taste of the fruit and became one of my favorites.
But they recognized that the fruits can be eaten in Europe only at the end of the XVIII - early XIX century. And soon after that, immigrants from Europe to America brought tomatoes to their historical homeland, but already as a vegetable crop.
plant names
On the territory of the various states through which the tomato traveled, the inhabitants gave it different names. So, sensual Italians and passionate French called the tomato "golden apple". Small tomato balls golden color used exclusively as decorative ornaments. The fruits were considered poisonous, so they were not eaten.
The Italian "pomo d'oro" and the French "pomm d'or" can sometimes be translated as "apple of love". Russian name"tomato" came from the heard foreign name "pomo d'oro". In the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Yugoslavia and Hungary, the fruits are still called "paradise" to this day. It means heavenly apples.
Appearance in Russia
Tomatoes were first tasted in Russia in the 18th century.
But they were not eaten, but used as an ornamental culture. This happened due to climatic features, due to which the fruits of the plant simply did not ripen. There was a time when Russia was jokingly called "the country of evergreen tomatoes." Everything changed when the Russian agronomist Andrei Bolotov tried to apply to the cultivation of this plant seedling method. Today, a tomato is a tasty and valuable product for most people.
Contradictions in the definition
The tomato is a very widespread plant, and there has been confusion about the name of its fruit. Some experts say that a tomato is a vegetable. Others argue that the fruit of this plant is a fruit. And some are sure that a tomato is a real berry.
Supporters of the opinion that the fruit of a tomato is a berry justify it from the point of view of science. In botany, a berry is defined as a fruit covered with a thin shell, having a juicy middle with several dense seeds inside. Berries ripen on grassy or shrub plants. The fruit of a tomato fully satisfies all these requirements, so it can be called a berry with full confidence, and a real one.
The fact is that in botany there is the concept of a false berry. Their seeds are outside, and not inside the pericarp, as required by the definition of berries. In a tomato fruit, the seeds are located exactly where the seeds of the berries should be.
There is a clear definition of fruit in science. They are called edible fruit plants with juicy or hard flesh with seeds inside, which are formed from the ovary of flowers as a result of pollination. The fruit of the tomato fully falls under this description.
Therefore, we can safely say that a tomato is a fruit.
All other edible parts of a plant are called vegetables. In botany, there is no definition of fruits and vegetables. These terms are culinary, agricultural and household.
But in the USA, EU countries and other English-speaking peoples, tomato fruits are considered fruits, because in English language the words fruit and fruit are translated the same way and there is no difference between them.
From the point of view of botanists, vegetables do not exist at all. But in everyday life it is customary to call the fruits of tomatoes vegetables. There are several prerequisites for this:
- The term "vegetable" appeared in cooking several hundred years ago. By definition, vegetables are the non-sweet parts of a plant that are eaten raw or after eating. heat treatment as a main course.
- Tomatoes are grown as an annual crop, cultivating the soil and applying loosening, which takes a short period of time. The method of growing tomatoes is similar to other vegetables.
- Tomatoes are not served for dessert and are not added to pastries like berries, for example.
Hence the tomato fruit is called a vegetable, not a fruit or a berry.
The judicial question regarding the name of the fruits of tomatoes arose not in connection with their species, but because of legal friction. Their resolution in 1893 dealt with the Supreme Court.
The prerequisite was the introduction in America of a tax on vegetables in 1887, while there was no customs duty on fruits. According to the court decision, the tomato was recognized as a vegetable, and the main argument for making such a decision was that the fruits of tomatoes are served for lunch and are not used as a dessert, since they are not sweet.
But according to the decision of the European Union in 2001 tomato officially recognized as a fruit, despite the divergence from agricultural structures, where the tomato is traditionally referred to as a vegetable.
Application in various fields
Tomatoes, thanks to the efforts of breeders, amaze the imagination with a variety of varieties. They are divided into groups due to certain differences:
Whether these fruits are called berries or vegetables or fruits, tomatoes are very healthy foods , which is due to the content of proteins, enzymes, amino acids, sugars and polysaccharides in them, a large amount of vitamins and organic acids.
Use in cooking
Tomatoes are irreplaceable ingredients when preparing a variety of different dishes. And for different dishes, tomatoes of certain varieties may be required.
For example, pepper-shaped red tomatoes do not have seeds, so they are ideal for making sauces, frying and stewing meat. Large, fleshy varieties of red, pink and raspberry color are used for salads and cold appetizers. Plum fruits are good in canned form and in hot dishes. And miniature cherry tomatoes are in perfect harmony with seafood.
During heat treatment of tomatoes, they beneficial features are saved.
Medicine and cosmetology
Since ancient times, the positive effect of tomatoes on the human body has been noticed. Today, having studied the bio chemical composition of these fruits, tomatoes are used in the treatment of many diseases, such as:
- avitaminosis;
- liver disease;
- stomach and duodenal ulcer;
- disruption of the cardiovascular system;
- obesity;
- anemia;
- diabetes.
Fruits and juice from them are used as part of special preventive and therapeutic diets. Tomatoes also activate the work of the kidneys and gonads. The antioxidant lycopene contained in them fights DNA mutations and prevents division cancer cells. Lutein, which is part of the chemical composition of tomatoes, strengthens vision.
In cosmetology, the benefits are due to the presence of beta-carotene and biologically active substances in the composition of tomatoes, due to which:
- improves complexion of the skin;
- wrinkles are smoothed;
- skin tone increases.
Masks with the use of tomatoes are effective for varicose veins, and also actively fight the signs of skin aging.
Like any medicinal product, tomatoes have some contraindications for use:
- tomatoes should be used with caution in existing diseases of the gallbladder, bladder and liver, since the organic acids that make up the fruit can provoke an exacerbation of the disease;
- excessive consumption of tomatoes by pregnant women is not recommended due to the presence of malic and citric acids in the composition;
- it is not recommended to use tomatoes for patients with rheumatism and arthritis, since oxalic acid, which is part of them, has Negative influence for water-salt exchange;
- in diseases of the kidneys and the cardiovascular system, the use of tomatoes in salted and pickled form is contraindicated.
It is curious that tomatoes are among the ten most healthy products, as they contain in their composition all the substances necessary for the normal functioning of the human body.
It happens annual or perennial, grows both in the northern and southern regions. Grow tomatoes in the open field, on balconies and even on the windowsill. There are many, since tomatoes are very widespread and are used in cooking, cosmetics, and medicine.
A bit of history
The homeland of tomatoes is called South America. Wild and semi-cultivated forms of the plant are still found there. In the 16th century, the tomato was brought to Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and other European countries.
In Europe, tomatoes were bred as exotic plant. The first culinary dish using tomatoes was mentioned in Spanish recipes.
Other sources claim that the birthplace of tomatoes is Peru, however, it is no longer possible to know for sure about this because of the lost knowledge. There is also a version about the origin of tomatoes (both the plant itself and the word) from Mexico, where the plant grew wild, and its fruits were smaller than the modern tomatoes we know. Later, by the 16th century, tomatoes in Mexico began to be introduced into culture. 
In the XVIII century, the tomato was brought to Russia (through Turkey and Romania). For the first time he proved that such a plant as a tomato can be eaten, agronomist A.T. Bolotov. For a long time, the tomato was considered poisonous. Plantings of tomatoes have already appeared in the Crimea. Among the names there were such as "red" love apple ", and even -" wolfberry ".
In the summer of 1780, Empress Catherine II tried for the first time what kind of fruit a tomato had. They became a tomato brought from Rome as a fruit. At the same time, this fruit has long been known in remote areas of the empire, it was grown in the south of Russia, in Astrakhan, Georgia, Tauris, and was eaten as a vegetable. In the northern part of Russia, the "love apple" served as an ornamental plant with beautiful bright fruits.
Important! Tomatoes improve digestion as well as metabolism. The phytoncides contained in them show the antibacterial effect of tomatoes.
Tomato: is it a berry, a vegetable or a fruit?
Tomatoes are a fairly widespread plant, therefore, in different countries and cultures, questions often arose as to whether vegetable, fruit or whether its fruits are tomatoes.
Why are tomatoes considered a berry?
Let's try to find out if a tomato is a berry or a vegetable.
A berry is a fruit that is herbaceous or has a juicy pulp and seeds inside. Tomato fully meets this definition, being the fruit of a herbaceous plant with a thin skin, juicy pulp and a large number of seeds inside.
Berry fruits are divided into the following types:- Berry (these include tomato,
- Apple (these are apples,
- Pomeranian - orange,
- Pomegranate (this is the fruit of a pomegranate)
- Pumpkin (this type includes
In addition, berries are divided into real and false. Distinctive feature a real berry from the point of view of botany - finding seeds inside the pericarp. It is worth noting that the tomato corresponds to this feature. So, you can answer positively the question of whether a tomato is a berry. Tomato - vegetable
Technological systematics explains that according to the method of cultivation, similar to other vegetables, the tomato is a vegetable. This is an annual crop, and the tomato crop is harvested as a result of tillage and loosening of the soil, which takes a short time.
All this allows you to call a tomato a vegetable. 
Important! Tomato fruits can be called a natural antidepressant. Tomato contains mood-enhancing gThe hormone of happiness is serotonin, as well as tyramine, which is converted into serotonin already in the body.
Why are tomatoes called fruits?
Due to the shape, color, juiciness of the tomato, questions arise whether it is a fruit or a vegetable.
The definition of "fruit" describes it as the hard or soft part of a plant in the form of a fruit with seeds. The fruit is formed as a result of the pollination of the flower from the ovary. A vegetable is an overgrown herbaceous or root system of a plant. It follows from this that all the fruits of plants with seeds can be called fruits, which is why the tomato is often called a fruit. 
There is also a scientific description, according to which the edible reproductive part of a plant with seeds, which develops from the ovary of a flower, is called a fruit. However, in cooking, tomatoes are used as vegetables. Therefore, it is so difficult to find out who is a tomato vegetable or not.
Did you know? Tomatoes contain lycopene, a substance that slows down the aging of body cells, protecting it from harmful effects. Lycopene is not destroyed by heat treatment.
To summarize: berry, vegetable or fruit?
For a long time, people could not figure out the confusion about what to call a tomato: is it a berry, fruit or vegetable? The main reason for these disagreements is that there is a scientific and culinary approach to the definition different types fruits and plant parts. From a botanical point of view, tomato is a berry the fruit of a tomato resulting from the pollination of a flower. In cooking, and simply in everyday life, a tomato is called a vegetable, while implying the preparation of main and snack dishes from it. According to the method of cultivation, the tomato plant is also classified as a vegetable crop.
Tomatoes, or tomatoes, are a well-known food plant. Fresh in salads, salty, marinated, as well as with scrambled eggs, other dishes ... And what is borscht without tomatoes? We are all used to this vegetable. But is it a vegetable ... Let's see, what is a tomato - a berry, vegetable or fruit?
In 1883, there was even a lawsuit in the United States that went down in history under the name “Nyx v. Hedden” in which it was found out whether a tomato is a vegetable or fruit.
The court recognized him as a vegetable. The reason was that it is used traditionally as a vegetable.
Sources say that edible parts are considered vegetables herbaceous plants (fruits, root crops, others), and fruits - juicy fruits woody plants. Therefore, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes are vegetables, and apples, plums, pears are fruits.
Although until 1705 there was no concept of “fruit” in Russia. All edible parts garden plants, including woody ones, were called vegetables, vegetables.
Berries are the juicy fruits of herbaceous or woody plants.(shrubs, trees) small size. The meanings of the word "berry" in the generally accepted sense and as a botanical term are different.
Compotes, preserves, jams, marmalades are cooked from berries (in the conventional sense), as well as from fruits. The last statement, according to the author, is important for the separation of fruits and berries from vegetables.
If jams from vegetables are also cooked, albeit less often, then compotes - never.
Traditionally, tomatoes are considered vegetables.. By the definition described above, they are also vegetables, since these plants are herbaceous. From a botanical point of view, this is a berry.
The truth about the tomato:
The place of a vegetable in the taxonomy of plants: which family does it belong to
Although earlier tomatoes and nightshade were in different kinds, it belonged to the genus Lycopersicon, in which 9 species were distinguished.
But it turned out that not all natural descendants of tomatoes belong to this genus. Therefore, plants of the genus Lycopersicon were added to the genus Solanum.
The botanical genus Nightshade belongs to the Solanaceae family. Tomato has all the features of this family: simple leaves, their next leaf arrangement, the correct shape of the flower, the fruit is a berry (the Solanaceae also have a box; for example, henbane or dope).
Almost all plants of the Solanaceae family are poisonous. The plant in question also contains toxic substances, but they are mainly found in the tops. Fruits, especially ripe ones, are safe to eat.
The correct botanical name is Edible Tomato, or Edible Tomato. Other names: Tomato real, cultural, ordinary.
In Russia, they often adhere to the old classification, referring the vegetable to the genus Lycopersicon. This name can also be found in the Plantarium online plant guide.
In him Latin name denoted as Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, and not as in the international classification Solanum lycopersicon.
What is the name of the tomato fruit?
Why is a tomato considered a fruit? From a traditional, layman's point of view As already mentioned, a tomato is a vegetable.
From a botanical point of view, the fruit of the plant “Tomato (tomato) edible” is a berry and has all its characteristics: juicy pulp and many seeds.
But for most people, it's just tomatoes, or tomatoes. And this is also correct.
Actually, the correctness of the name is a relative thing and depends on in what sense and where it will be used. Botanists have their own terms, culinary specialists, for example, have others.
When describing recipes for dishes, the botanical classification of fruits is not important, they write: “5 kg of tomatoes” or “3 tomatoes”.
The benefits and harms of tomatoes
They have a variety of chemical compositions. They contain carotenoids, a complex of vitamins of group B, as well as vitamins C, P, K.
From biogenic elements they have a lot of potassium, magnesium, chlorine, phosphorus, calcium. There are other important chemical elements(sulfur, iron, copper, sodium, manganese, etc.).
The sweetness of fruits comes from the sugars they contain. Tomatoes also contain pectin, proteins, organic acids, fiber.
The tomato carotenoid complex contains lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant. It reduces the risk of developing atherosclerosis, cancer and cataracts.
These berries improve digestion processes, have a choleretic effect. They are useful as a vitamin remedy, as well as for obesity, atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure, those with poor eyesight have begun to develop cataracts. Fresh tomato juice helps dissolve gallstones.
Phytoncidal properties were also found in the fruits of the plant., due to which the fruits pounded into gruel are used to heal purulent wounds and ulcers.
The program “Live healthy!” will tell about the benefits of a tomato:
But not all these vegetables can be. First of all, this applies to those who are allergic or intolerant to them.
Caution should also be exercised by those who hyperacidity stomach and gallstones. After their use, there may be heartburn.
There is an opinion that these vegetables contribute to the deposition of salts (especially oxalates). This is not entirely true.
Research has shown that very little oxalic acid, therefore, they cannot particularly affect the processes of oxalate stone formation. The question that they are contraindicated in gout is debatable.
The benefits and harms of tomato from the program "About the most important thing":
History of appearance
Homeland of tomatoes - South America. They still grow wild there. These plants came to Europe in the 16th century, but then they were considered decorative and even poisonous.
They appeared in Russia in the 18th century. in the Crimea, from where they spread throughout the territory. But they became a well-known culture only in the 19th century.
Now there are many varieties of tomatoes with different form and fruit color. You can find varieties from yellow to orange, from pink to maroon.
And there are even varieties whose fruits remain green.. The size of rlods varies over a very wide range - from small cherry tomatoes to large ones weighing 400-500 g.
The birthplace of tomatoes is South America, they became a well-known culture only in the 19th century. An episode is known in history when they tried to poison the future President of the United States, George Washington, because then they were considered poisonous.
The name "tomato" goes back to the Italian name of this plant "pomo doro" ("golden apple"), and "tomato" - to the Aztec "tomatl".
In the city of Kamenka-Dniprovska, which is located in the Dnipro region in Ukraine, there is a monument “Glory to the tomato”.
So, from a botanical point of view, the fruit of the plant is a berry. To cooks and most people, tomato is a vegetable.
It is used for cooking first and second courses, side dishes, salads, some make jam from it, but never put it in compotes. Therefore, a tomato is not a berry or a fruit.
Tomatoes are healthy and loved by many. However, there are contraindications to the use of "berries" that you should know.
The name tomato comes from the Italian. pomo d "oro - a golden apple. The Aztecs had a real name - matl, the French converted it into French tomate (tomato).
Homeland - South America, where wild and semi-cultivated forms of tomato are still found. In the middle of the 16th century, the tomato came to Spain, Portugal, and then to Italy, France and other European countries. The earliest tomato recipe was published in a cookbook in Naples in 1692, while the author refers to the fact that this recipe comes from Spain. In the 18th century, the tomato came to Russia, where it was first cultivated as an ornamental plant. The plant was recognized as a vegetable food crop thanks to the Russian agronomist A. T. Bolotov (1738-1833). For a long time, tomatoes were considered inedible and even poisonous. European gardeners bred them as an exotic ornamental plant. American textbooks on botany included the story of how a bribed cook tried to poison George Washington with a dish of tomatoes. The future first president of the United States, after tasting the cooked food, went on to do business, never learning about the insidious betrayal.
Tomato today is one of the most popular crops due to its valuable nutritional and dietary qualities, a wide variety of varieties, and high responsiveness to the cultivation methods used. It is cultivated in open ground, under film shelters, in greenhouses, greenhouses, on balconies, loggias and even in rooms on windowsills.
According to one version, tomatoes may have come from the highlands of the western coast of South America. There is no evidence that tomatoes were cultivated or even eaten before the arrival of the Spanish. However, other researchers say that this theory has no practical background, since many other fruits that have been cultivated in Peru for a long time have not become the subject of historical monuments. Much agricultural knowledge was simply lost after the arrival of Europeans.
There is an alternative theory that claims that the tomato, like the word "Tomato", comes from Mexico, where it was one of the two most ancient plant species and grew wild. It is also possible that the domestication of the species occurred in two regions at the same time.
In any case, through mechanisms unknown to us, tomatoes moved to Central America. The Mayans and other inhabitants of the region used the fruit in their cuisine, and tomatoes were cultivated in southern Mexico and other regions as early as the sixteenth century. It was believed that the love pueblos believed that those who ate tomato seeds were blessed with divine powers. The large, fleshy tomato, a mutation of a more tender and smaller vegetable, appeared in Central America and became widespread there. Scientists prove that it was the direct ancestor of modern tomatoes.
The two modern groups of tomato varieties, one the wild cherry tomato and the other the currant tomato, are descended from the recent domestication of wild tomatoes native to eastern Mexico.
After the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the conquerors spread the tomato among their colonies in the Caribbean. They also brought him to the Philippines, from where he went to the southeast of Asia, and then covered the entire Asian continent. The Spaniards also brought the tomato to Europe. It was easy to grow in the Mediterranean climate. Thus, cultivation began in the 1540s. It began to be eaten soon after it was brought in, since there is evidence that the tomato was already eaten in the early seventeenth century, at least in Spain. The earliest tomato cookbook discovered was found in Naples in 1692, but it is clear that the author obtained these recipes from Spanish sources.
According to some scholars, the tomato was not grown in Europe until 1590. One of the first who dared to grow an unfamiliar plant was John Gerard - a barber. The collection "Gerard's Herbal" ("Gerard's Herbalist"), published in 1597 and subjected to extensive plagiarism throughout the continent, also contained the first discussion of such a plant as a tomato outside of Spain. Gerard knew that tomatoes were eaten by the Spaniards and Italians.But, despite this, he considered the vegetable poisonous (the leaves and stem of the tomato contain poisonous substances - glycoalkaloids, but its fruit is absolutely safe).Gerard's views had a great influence, and tomatoes were long considered inedible (although not necessarily poisonous) for many years in Britain and the North American colonies By the mid-eighteenth century, however, tomatoes were already being eaten in Britain, and by the end of that century, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the tomato was in everyday use in soups, broths and as a side dish. known here as "apples of love", which may have arisen from a mistranslation of the Italian expression pomo d "oro ("golden apple") as pomo d "amor e ("apple of love").
In Victorian times, vegetable cultivation reached industrial scale and moved to greenhouses. But pressure on landowners in the 1930s and 60s led industry to move west in England to Littlehampton, and commercial gardens to Chichester. The British tomato industry has been shrinking in size over the past fifteen years as cheap imports from Spain flood supermarket shelves.
In North America, the earliest evidence of tomatoes comes from 1710, when botanist William Salmon reported seeing them in South Carolina. They may have come here from the Caribbean. By the middle of the eighteenth century, tomatoes were being grown on some plantations in the Carolinas, and possibly elsewhere in the American South. It is possible that some people continued to consider tomatoes poisonous at this time, and they were grown as ornamental plants, and not for the purpose of eating. Enlightened people like Thomas Jefferson, who ate tomatoes in Paris and then sent some seeds home, knew that tomatoes were edible, but those who were uneducated thought differently.
Tomato came to France through Provence from Italy at the end of the eighteenth century and became a culinary symbol French Revolution because of its red color. It is widely used in French cuisine.
France is home to 'Carolina', a rare, mid-season, open-pollinated tomato variety that retains a sharp 'Brandy' flavor and an 'Early Swedish' shape. It was first noted by the Italian monk Giacomo Tiramisunelli and his partner Andrea di Milinese, somewhere around Bordeaux, although modern researchers such as Dragos Niculae and Nicolás dela Nisan claim that Belgium was the birthplace of this variety. In any case, Caroline is considered a rare delicacy among tomato connoisseurs throughout France and beyond. This is the only variety of tomato that is served with garden oatmeal (a fig-fed songbird). Attempts were made to genetically modify the Carolina, but the Belgian community, for their part, raised a big fuss and did not allow this to happen.
The appearance of tomatoes in Russia
One of the last to spread in the culture on the territory of Russia is the beloved tomato (tomato, red eggplant, Love apple or wolf berry, throw) that entered the country in two ways: from Europe and through Romania and Turkey. Although the first plantings of vegetable tomatoes were made in the Crimea in the 18th century, in the European part of Russia this vegetable was used only as an ornamental plant and was valued for the beauty of flowers and bright fruits, resembling huge berries, which, by the way, were considered poisonous. A. T. Bolotov in 1784 he wrote that in middle lane“Tomatoes are grown in many places, mainly in room conditions(in pots) and sometimes in gardens.”
In the 19th century, Moscow was supplied by gardeners from the Moscow, Tver, Smolensk, Kaluga and Vladimir provinces, where all traditional for the 18th century crops were grown. open field vegetable crops. But near St. Petersburg, greenhouse vegetable growing has become widespread. Radishes, lettuce, dill, green onions, spinach, peas, cauliflower, cucumbers. In addition, in the Peterhof, Shlisselburg, Krasnoselsky districts, cabbage, swede, cucumbers, beets, radishes, carrots, greens, different kinds onions, celery, horseradish, sorrel. As you know, all the novelties of cooking were presented to the general public during the festive feasts of the reigning persons. About tomatoes, as a mass-cultivated and used for food culture, there are no references in the documents. How did it manage sunny vegetable penetrate the tables of the St. Petersburg nobility, and then the townsfolk?
The Russian ambassador in Italy, mindful of the order of the enlightened empress to bring all kinds of news from foreign lands, including “outlandish fruits and unusual plants”, sent her one of these reports in the midst of summer 1780 along with a batch of fruit “for the highest standard”. The “sophisticated southern fruit” arrived in St. Petersburg in a chic carriage, under heavy guard, and with the light hand of the courtiers, the news quickly spread around the city that the very noble Signor Tomato was “welcoming from Rome itself” to the queen. Yes, and the Empress Catherine II herself honored the southern guest with the highest audience. Before the Monarch's Eyes” presented weighty baskets full of fruits unprecedented in Russia. In the note, the dignitary pointed out that “Italians are very fond of such a fruit and call it “pomodoro”, which means “golden apple”. Indeed, the golden-orange fruits had a characteristic odor and resembled a large berry. Under a thin peel, they had juicy sweet and sour flesh with flat grains immersed in it.
The empress ordered, together with gratitude to the ambassador, to send an order to Rome for the regular delivery of this fruit to her table. Unfortunately, Catherine II did not know that tomatoes called “love apples” had been successfully grown on the outskirts of her empire for more than a dozen years “without official registration”. In the "Physical description of the Tauride region according to its location and all three kingdoms of nature", published in 1785, "love apples" are already among the "culinary and other plants growing in vegetable gardens." It is also noted there that "they are sown in the gardens near Bakhchisaray", and are eaten "for a long time and in various ways." In a book published in Konigsberg fifteen years later, I. Georgi reports that "love apples" in southern Russia, Astrakhan, Taurida, Georgia are frequent in gardens in the free air. There they are "eaten in various forms" and like cucumbers "cooked with vinegar and Spanish pepper", and in the north of Russia "love apples" are frequent as room decorations.
However, attempts to grow tomatoes in the middle lane were made. In 1781, according to P. S. Pallas, experiments with tomatoes were carried out in open ground in the Moscow botanical garden Ural breeder P. A. Demidov. Yes, and A. T. Bolotov in his article “On love apples” expresses a firm conviction “that you can have them without rangers.”
In just a hundred years, a tomato from a mysterious stranger turns into a profitable crop: at the very beginning of the 20th century, agronomist A.S. Kravtsov writes that “tomato cultivation has no equal in Russian horticulture in terms of profitability, and in terms of trade turnover it is second only to cabbage” . G.I. Kolesnikov writes in 1924 that "tomatoes or tomatoes are no longer as rare as they were recently, when they were sold at a high price in fruit shops." They ripen well even in Omsk, where frost-free time lasts no more than three months.
CM. Rytov in 1926, in the article “Tomatoes. Their culture, canning and processing” notes that “consumption of tomatoes is increasing every year. If in 1913 50 wagons were brought to Moscow, then in 1924, only until October 15, excluding the harvest of local vegetable gardens, 286 wagons, of which "2000 pounds of Danish tomatoes were brought to Moscow through Leningrad." Moreover, early-ripening varieties (examples) and late-ripening (tardifs) were brought from southern countries or from the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, while in Russia it was cultivated summer tomato, which fruited from mid-June until autumn frosts.
In the 20th century, thanks to scientific approach in the development of technologies for growing tomatoes, this crop is becoming one of the main vegetable crops. Of the scientists of the second half of the 20th century, V.A. Alpatiev, who was engaged in the selection of tomatoes, developed growing technologies, including in protected ground.
Tomato fruits contain: about 94% water, 1% protein, 0.1% fat, 4% carbohydrates, 0.6% fiber, organic acids, vitamins A, C, PP, etc. The color of ripe fruits is determined by the presence of lycopene and carotene, however, in some varieties with yellow fruits, carotene is not formed. The fruits and leaves also accumulate the alkaloid tomatine, from which the steroid testosterone is obtained. Fatty oil (up to 25%) is obtained from tomato seeds by pressing or extraction, which includes palmitic, stearic, linoleic and linolenic acids. Although tomatoes are relatively poor nutrients and vitamins, when consumed in large quantities they become an important source of these compounds. For example, in the United States, in the list of main fruits and vegetables, tomatoes are in 16th place in terms of vitamin A content, and 13th in vitamin C content. However, due to the high level of their consumption in the country (about 40 kg per person per year), they actually occupy the third place in the diet as a source of both vitamins.
In addition to the beautiful and irreplaceable palatability, external attractiveness, a tomato has many useful and healing properties. Tomatoes (tomatoes) have a rich content potential of essential substances, minerals and vitamins for the body.
Lycopene, which is part of tomatoes, is a unique natural cure for many diseases. Lycopene has very strong therapeutic properties. It is able to protect men from prostate cancer, and women from cervical cancer, stop tumor cell division and DNA mutation. Processed tomatoes have even more lycopene than raw ones. And it is better absorbed in the presence of fats. Lycopene is an organic compound that gives the fruits a rich red color, is a very strong natural antioxidant (superior in its properties to such recognized "free radical scavengers" as vitamins C and E). Lycopene significantly reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. For a salad with tomatoes to bring maximum benefit, you need to fill it sunflower oil, since in combination with vegetable fats, lycopene is absorbed much better. And what you need to know, tomatoes are much healthier when boiled.
The beneficial properties of tomatoes are very multifaceted, for example, tomatoes are a good antidepressant, tomatoes regulate the work nervous system, thanks to serotonin improve mood. Tomatoes have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties due to the content of phytoncides. Tomatoes are very useful for the digestive system, they improve digestion and metabolism.