To be our most healthy selves, it all starts with what we decide to put into our bodies. That’s right: what we eat counts!
As you begin to delve into the world of healthy eating, you might be curious in not only adding more nutritious foods to your diet, but you might also be interested in comparing and contrasting the level of nutritiousness of different types of food so that you can give your body the best of the best.
Let’s start you off with a simple comparison, comparing the level of nutrition of tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Vitamin C
Just about everyone knows that vitamin C is great for your immune system. In addition, it may help lower blood pressure, lower your risk of heart disease, and help prevent iron deficiency.
When it comes to comparing cucumbers and tomatoes on their level of vitamin C, medium-sized versions of these foods account for about 14% and 28% of your Reference Daily Intake (RDI), respectively. Tomatoes are the winner here as they contain double the amount of vitamin C as cucumbers.
- Potassium
Without our recommended daily amount of potassium, we might suffer from digestive problems, heart palpitations, muscle cramps, breathing difficulties, tingling and numbness, and an array of other unwanted symptoms, hence why an appropriate daily dose is critical.
A medium-sized tomato contains 292 mg of potassium while cucumbers offer 193 mg of the same nutrient. That said, tomatoes win.
- Fiber
Fiber is a plant-based nutrient that plays a role in regulating blood sugar, aiding digestion, and potentially preventing the risks of intestinal cancer. It’s also known to be a great nutrient for those wanting to lose weight as it can naturally suppress one’s appetite.
In an average-sized tomato, there are about 1.5 grams of fiber. And when looking at cucumber nutrition, one cucumber contains approximately 2 grams of fiber, half of which is contained within its peel. Cucumber wins here, but only if you eat all parts of the vegetable.
- Vitamin K
Vitamin K is particularly important for blood and bone health. You can count on a raw, whole cucumber to offer approximately 10.2 micrograms of vitamin K. A tomato, on the other hand, features about 7.9 micrograms. The cucumber takes the crown once more!
- Protein
A majority of people are aware that protein is critical when it comes to helping build muscles and bones. It’s also good for building cartilage, blood, skin, and for the production of various hormones and enzymes.
A whole, the medium-sized tomato has 1.1 grams of protein, and cucumber has 0.8 grams. While relatively close in protein levels, tomatoes take the lead.
- Vitamin A
This vitamin is essential in boosting our vision, helping our immune system, and assisting with reproduction. In general, vitamin A can greatly assist our body’s most vital organs from our kidneys to our hearts.
In a single serving of tomatoes, you can get 42 micrograms of vitamin A whereas you’d receive about 4 to 5 micrograms by eating an average-sized cucumber. Tomato is king!
Conclusion
There are several handfuls of nutritious food options to pick and choose from. However, if you’ve been looking at the nutritional value of such foods, you’ll know that some are more healthy than others and that each food contains a different level of nutrients.
This is no different with tomatoes and cucumbers. While tomatoes win in most of these categories, in the end, both foods are highly nutritious.
