The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a fruit from the nightshade family native to South America.

Despite botanically being a fruit, it’s generally eaten and prepared like a vegetable.

Tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.

They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K.

Usually red when mature, tomatoes can also come in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, green, and purple. What’s more, many subspecies of tomatoes exist with different shapes and flavor.

Nutrition facts
The water content of tomatoes is around 95%. The other 5% consists mainly of carbohydrates and fiber.

Here are the nutrients in a small (100-gram) raw tomato:

Calories: 18
Water: 95%
Protein: 0.9 grams
Carbs: 3.9 grams
Sugar: 2.6 grams
Fiber: 1.2 grams
Fat: 0.2 grams

Carbs
Carbs comprise 4% of raw tomatoes, which amounts to fewer than 5 grams of carbs for a medium specimen (123 grams).

Simple sugars, such as glucose and fructose, make up almost 70% of the carb content.

Fiber
Tomatoes are a good source of fiber, providing about 1.5 grams per average-sized tomato.

Most of the fibers (87%) in tomatoes are insoluble, in the form of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin (2).

Fresh tomatoes are low in carbs. The carb content consists mainly of simple sugars and insoluble fibers. These fruits are mostly made up of water.