CostaExchange grow truss tomatoes, which means our tomatoes are picked while still on the vine and so continue to receive nutrients from the vine after picking. They are grown in a glasshouse environment so we can control the precise levels of natural sunlight, temperature, nutrition and ventilation. The result is full flavoured tomatoes in a range of sizes and shapes that arrive fresh and ripe at retailers and are delicious to eat.

Tomatoes are defined as a fruit because its seeds are contained within the pulp. However they are generally referred to as vegetables for cooking and eating purposes – largely because they have a more savoury than sweet flavour and purpose. Commonly associated with Italian and Mexican cuisine in particular (they are in fact native to South America), tomatoes add wonderful flavour to many recipes and of course, stand alone as a delicious snack.

Nutritional facts:

• Famous for lycopene, which is an antioxidant associated with promoting heart health and reducing the instance of many chronic diseases including prostate, breast and other cancers
• Packed with phytonutrients that help regular blood fats and platelets
• Rich in vitamin A, C and calcium – assisting with iron absorption as well as skin, bone, hair, muscle and teeth health
• High source of folate which among other things can protect against osteoporosis, anemia and birth defects

Did you know:

• The French sometimes refer to the tomato as a ‘pomme d’amour’ or ‘love apple’
• There is an estimated 10,000 varieties of tomato
• During the 16th Century, the tomato had a dubious reputation in Europe – as a member of the nightshade family it was seen as potentially poisonous (it’s since been proven that the level of potentially harmful alkaloids in most nightshade foods is very low and can be absorbed by most people)
• Around 130 millions tonnes of tomatoes are consumed world wide each year
• The world record for the largest tomato ever grown was set in Oklahoma by Gordon Graham in 1986 – it was 7 pounds, 12 ounces (around 3.5 kg)