Indian food is considered incomplete without tomatoes, but do you know that there are some vegetables in which adding tomato can be harmful? Especially in winter vegetables, wrong combination of tomatoes not only spoils the taste but also affects the digestion and nutrition. Ayurveda and nutrition experts say that many vegetables are alkaline in nature, whereas tomatoes are highly acidic. The mixture of these two can increase gas, bloating and acidity in the body. Therefore, it is better not to add tomato in some dishes.
Why not add tomatoes in fenugreek vegetable?
Fenugreek is a vegetable with bitter taste, hot nature and alkaline properties. It contains large amounts of iron, fiber and antioxidants which keep the stomach clean and help in managing sugar levels. But when tomato is added to it, its acidic nature further increases the bitterness of fenugreek and its original taste gets spoiled. Also, the iron present in fenugreek binds with the acid of tomato and is less absorbed in the body, due to which the nutrition gets reduced.
Okra and Tomato
Ladyfinger is a sticky and light vegetable which is considered very good for the stomach. The mucilage (sticky substance) present in it makes digestion easier. But after adding tomato, this mucilage of lady’s finger reacts with it and becomes more sticky, due to which the vegetable does not cook properly and the taste also gets spoiled. Many people also complain of heaviness, gas or indigestion after eating it. Therefore, it is okay to add dry mango powder or lemon to bhindi at the end, but avoid tomato.
Tomato in Arabic
Arbi is a heavy and time-consuming vegetable to digest. It contains more starch and it produces gas quickly. In such a situation, if an acidic element like tomato is added to it, it can further increase gas and acidity. Tomato makes arbi more sticky which makes it heavy on the stomach. It is considered better to cook Arbi with curd, coriander, celery or lemon.
Tomatoes in potatoes and peas
Both potatoes and peas are starch and protein rich substances. When tomato is added with these two, it makes their starch heavier. This takes time to digest food and can increase bloating. Also, the acidic nature of tomatoes makes pea protein less effective. If you want a light and grandmotherly taste, then make Aloo-Matar without tomatoes and just add a little dry mango powder for taste.
Tomato reduces iron in chana saag.
Chana Saag i.e. the combination of gram and green leafy vegetables is an excellent source of iron, calcium and fiber. But adding tomato to it reduces its iron absorption because the acid of tomato hinders iron. This is the reason why in traditional village homes, chana saag is always made without tomato and sourness, if required, comes from dry mango powder or curd.
(Disclaimer- This news is based on general information.)
