Tomatoes are sometimes incorrectly viewed as “high sugar” foods that are not appropriate
for people living with diabetes. Tomatoes, in fact have a very low glycemic index score (15) which essentially suggests they have little to no effect on one’s blood sugar levels and that their intake does not need to be reduced in those living with pre, type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Scientifically considered a fruit, tomatoes are much more similar to a vegetable both in terms of their nutrient profile and culinary usage. Tomatoes are similar to many vegetables in the sense they provide dietary fibre for almost no calories ( ~75 grams of tomato being 1 gram of fibre, 15 cals) and share both fruit and vegetables unique capacity to contain multiple families of beneficial antioxidant compounds.

They are rich in a wide array of important nutrients including potassium, folate and Vitamins C & K, with potassium being the mineral that is the most likely among them to be under consumed at the population level. What makes tomatoes truly unique, however, is that they are among the richest sources of the dietary antioxidant known as lycopene – which may be uniquely protective against prostate cancer. Often seeing your local family physician for a referral to registered dietitian, nutritionist or who have available appointments to treat conditions, symptoms of  in conjunction with Smart Food Now.   Tomatoes are sometimes incorrectly viewed as “high sugar” foods that are not appropriate for people living with diabetes. Tomatoes, in fact have a very low glycemic index score (15) which essentially suggests they have little to no effect on one’s blood sugar levels and that their intake does not need to be reduced in those living with pre, type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Dr. Akshay Jain, Endocrinologist, Sarah Ware, Registered Dietician, and Nick Pratap, Kinesiologist, talk about the health benefits of tomatoes in relation to diabetes management.