Tomato native to the Americas
Tomatoes quickly became popular in the Mediterranean countries but received resistance as they spread north.
Originally cultivated by the Aztecs and Incas as early as 700 AD, the tomato is native to the Americas. Europeans were first made aware of the tomato when explorers brought back seed from Mexico and Central America in the 16th century.
Tomatoes quickly became popular in the Mediterranean countries but received resistance as they spread north. The British in particular considered the fruit to be beautiful but poisonous. This fear was shared in the American colonies and it was years before the tomato gained widespread acceptance. By the middle of the 19th century, tomatoes were in use across America.
Today the tomato is generally considered to be the favorite vegetable of the American public.
Scientists at Cornell University have identified two cancer-fighting substances in the tomato: P-courmaric and chlorogenic acids.
Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins A and C.The tomato is in the same family as the potato, pepper, eggplant, and petunia. There are thousands of different tomato varieties.
