You might want to trade your apple a day for another juicy red bite: a tomato. Research suggests that the versatile fruit — yes, it’s a fruit, and technically a berry — boasts bountiful health benefits. One medium-sized raw tomato packs more than one gram of fiber into just 22 calories, according to data published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and is also a good source of potassium, vitamin A, and the antioxidant lycopene. Lycopene is a carotenoid that offers various research-backed benefits, including anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties.
Tomatoes also have a notably high water concentration, according to UCLA Health, which notes that at 94 percent, they are even more hydrating than watermelon.
In concentrated tomato products like tomato paste, the lycopene content may be higher ounce for ounce, says Christman, but that doesn’t mean you should stay away from the fresh fruit, because lycopene is “still abundant” in that, too. “If you do choose processed tomato products, look for ones without added sugar, salt, and oil when possible,” Christman recommends.
Here are eight key reasons to add more tomatoes to your diet.
1. A Tomato-Rich Diet Lowers the Risk of Certain Cancers
The lycopene in tomatoes (most abundantly present in their skin, Christman says) may have promising anticancer properties. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2025 found an association between dietary lycopene intake and lower rates of cancer and death from cancer, particularly prostate cancer. This could be because the lycopene in the tomatoes inhibits cancer cell growth and modulates immune function.
“Lycopene, along with other antioxidants in tomatoes, works synergistically to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals,” Christman says. Free radicals are compounds that have been associated with disease and aging, so in this way, tomatoes may play a crucial role in disease prevention.
One more caveat: The key to maximizing lycopene’s protective benefits is to eat tomatoes along with healthy fats, as carotenoids require fat to be properly absorbed by the body, research published in 2021 in Antioxidants found. “Try tomatoes with avocados or olive oil, for example, in a salsa or salad, to reap the full benefit,” Christman says.
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