A fruit Europe considered ornamental for two centuries — and today the richest source of lycopene in nature.

What is tomato?

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the fruit of an annual plant of the nightshade family, related to the potato and the aubergine. The fruit juice is rich in lycopene — the red carotenoid that gives it its colour — as well as beta-carotene, vitamin C, natural organic acids (citric, malic), potassium and polyphenols.

What are the benefits of tomato?

Tomato is a fresh, “clean” ingredient for the skin. Applied topically it:

• Offers lycopene and vitamin C with antioxidant activity
• Its natural acids have a mild astringent action that tones
• Helps oily and combination skin look more matte
• Gives a feeling of freshness
• Helps the skin look brighter

The “golden apple”

When the Spanish brought the tomato from Mexico in the 16th century, Europeans grew it as an ornamental plant and suspected it of being poisonous, like its relative belladonna. The Italians named it pomodoro, “golden apple”, because the first varieties were yellow. It reached Greece only in the early 19th century — and today Greek cuisine is unthinkable without it.

Where does it come from?

The wild tomato originates in the Andes, in Peru and Ecuador, and was domesticated in Mexico. Today the largest producers are China, India, Turkey and the USA. In Greece it is grown all over the country, the best known being the small tomato of Santorini.