Even though many people think of them as vegetables, tomatoes are actually a fruit because they have seeds inside! They grow on bushy vines and turn from green to a bright, shiny red when they are ripe and ready to eat. Tomatoes originally came from South America, and when explorers first brought them to Europe, many people were afraid to eat them because they thought they might be poisonous. Of course, tomatoes are completely safe and delicious! There are thousands of different kinds of tomatoes, from tiny cherry tomatoes that are like little red marbles to giant beefsteak tomatoes that are bigger than your fist.
Tomatoes are very juicy and have many tiny seeds inside, surrounded by a squishy, jelly-like pulp. They are used to make so many of our favorite foods, like ketchup, spaghetti sauce, salsa, and the sauce on our pizza! Without tomatoes, we would not have any of those yummy things. Tomatoes are packed with a special nutrient called lycopene, which is what gives them their beautiful red color and helps keep your heart healthy. Did you know that tomatoes are one of the most popular plants to grow in a backyard garden? They love warm, sunny weather and can produce dozens of tomatoes from just one plant!
