Roma tomatoes are determinate plants that are eaten cooked as vegetables or raw like apple-style. They are also known as plum or Italian tomatoes. These meaty fruits have egg shapes with a few seeds. Their garden-fresh taste that is full of tangy flavors will be suitable for paste, stew, and sauce.
These paste tomatoes are one of the most nutritious and luscious food. No matter how they are served, slicing, dicing, or even enjoying one bite at a time, these rounded pulpy berries of herbs are suitable for any meals and snacks.
Roma tomatoes calories offer nutritive components to any dish. You can consume just the way they are without adding with seasonings. Furthermore, tomato-based snacks consist of carotenoids and potassium. Those substances prevent heart disease and stroke.
There are varied sizes and varieties available to make some delicious recipes. The classic flavors make them great for sauces and salads. People also like preserving food in canning that contains with Roma tomato calories.
Therefore, to be more familiar with this tasty food, have a look at the following information about several varieties, serving the meal with healthy nutrition and growing Roma tomatoes. You will know the benefits and recipes that offer nutritive components for your health.
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General Characteristics of Roma Tomatoes
The sizes of Roma Tomatoes
Various sizes contain different Roma tomato calories. The oblong tomatoes are heavy for their bigness. They come with about eight centimeters long. A red plum plant usually grows to about one meter long and 46 centimeters wide.
These paste tomatoes have a thick fruit wall and grainy flesh. They have more compact structures than regular ones. You can cook them to get the best taste, even though the plum fruits can be eaten raw.
Many people prefer opting for Roma tomatoes since they produce lots of fruits at once, contain less seed and juice, and offer a meaty texture. Therefore, preserving food with this variety is essential for cooking.
The Best Varieties of Roma Tomatoes
There are several types include Martino’s Roma, Heinz, San Marzano, Red Italian Pear, Amish Paste, and ten fingers of Naples. Those six varieties are the best for growing in your garden. The fruits are red yet yellow for some types when ripe.
Different varieties contain dissimilar Roma tomato calories. They also belong to either determinate or indeterminate plants. For example, Plum regal, Sunrise sauce, and Paisano are determinate fruits.
Sunrise sauce features low-maintenance orange paste tomato. Another variety that comes with unique striped skin is Speckled Roman organic. There is also an Amish paste that has a large fruit size with rich flavor.
Granadero organic is a variety that has broad disease resistance. Also, Tiren serves a classic San Marzano flavor, while Verona is tastier and fuller Juliet type.
Other types that belong to indeterminate plants are Juliet, Cauralina, and blue beech organic. Some are great for indoor culture, excellent for fresh eating, sauce making, and canning.
Tips for Growing a Roma Tomato Plant
Growing Roma Tomatoes In Pots
A Roma tomato is easy to grow. If you want to plant Italian tomatoes in planters, choose containers that have 46 centimeters wide. Growing in that way will avoid the plants overgrow the pots.
Use material pots for growing Roma tomatoes to get a better drainage system. However, if it is hard to have those containers, choose traditional planters with several holes in the bottom as a second option.
Growing Roma Tomatoes Outdoors
If you start growing from the seed, it requires 105 days to be mature and ripe. However, the process will take a shorter time while you are transplanting the plant into the garden. Roma tomatoes only need 70 0r 80 days to ripen.
One thing to remember is that Roma tomato needs full sunlight, so never put the plant close to a shed, garage, treeline, or house. Those shady locations cannot work for this egg-shaped fruit.
Besides, consider whether to grow Roma tomato calories plants. Temperature is one of the most significant factors. The number of fruits you get will depend on the quality of care to the plants. Watering, fertilizing, and pruning are also essential for successful growth.
Keep the temperature above 13 degrees Celcius unless your Roma tomatoes stop producing the fruits. If the condition reaches zero degrees Celcius or lower, your plants will die. Then, a high degree of coldness will make the product flavorless and gooey.
The hot days will prevent correct pollination because of an extreme humid condition. You can do nothing about high temperatures and humidity levels. Therefore, put mulch or compost as a layer over the topsoil to insulate your Roma tomato plants.
It is also important to keep watering for the plants. If you let the soil stay dry for a long time, the fruits can lead to decay. On the other hand, giving to much liquid will grow rot or cause death. Hence, touch the soil with fingers to avoid either over or under water the Roma tomatoes.
The last tip is fertilizing for Roma tomatoes. Add some compost from organic materials before growing the seeds or transplanting into the garden. The best way is to make the nutrients from the kitchen waste. Use chemical fertilizers wisely since they can harm and kill the plants.
Healthy Recipes with Roma Tomato Calories
Since most of the Italian tomatoes are determinate varieties, they produce lots of fruits that ripen almost at the same time. Thus, preserve them immediately by making sauces or canning.
Sauces with Roma tomato calories are effortless and creamy without peeling and blanching. Just chop some fresh fruits and put them into a large pot. Add seasonings such as pepper and salt.
Bring the tomatoes to a boil and wait until they turn into a sauce. Then, add minced garlic and olive oil before blending with a food processor or immersion blender. Blend until you get the perfect thickness.
Serve the sauce that contains Roma tomato calories with some pasta. You can also store in the fridge by using glass jars or freeze them for a few months later usage. Use plastic zipper bags to keep in the freezer.
To get light Roma tomato calories, you can try roasted plum tomatoes and bruschetta. Instead of serving with pasta, make roasted Italian soup that rich in flavors. Combine with toast, chicken, tuna, mozzarella, or parmesan cheese for a better taste.
For a quick and tasty meal with low Roma tomato calories, combine with basil leaves, red onions, and extra-virgin olive oil to make a fresh and colorful salad.
Nutrition Facts of Roma Tomato Calories
Roma tomatoes nutrition contains about 24 calories. This fruit has a few energy values, although it becomes nutritional food. Plum tomatoes have a larger amount of food nutrition than other snacks.
If you put one thin slice of plum fruit on a sandwich, it gives three Roma tomato calories. Fortunately, this food consists of cholesterol, saturated and trans fats that have a lack of nutritional space-wasters.
Although Roma tomato calories come with very low sugar and sodium, you can take the benefits of iron, calcium, vitamin A and C in every single bite. However, cooking Italian tomatoes with salt will push the content of sodium through a high level of about 0,6 grams.
In terms of Roma tomato calories, the juice is a healthy choice that brings 41 energy values. It can increase daily vegetable intake with high sugars and sodium. Consequently, consume this fresh drink in less intensity.
Other healthy ways to add Roma tomatoes in the everyday diet are by mixing them with cottage cheese, fresh parsley, basil leaves, salt, and pepper. Anyway, a slice of tomato-based snack is healthier than potato chips.
Health Benefits of Roma Tomatoes
Plum tomatoes contain 95 percent of water. The others are fiber and carbohydrates. They are good sources of potassium, folate, vitamin K, and lycopene.
Lycopene comes from the red pigment of Roma tomatoes. This antioxidant can minimalize the risk of cancer and heart disease.
As an essential mineral, potassium is advantageous for controlling blood pressure and preventing heart disease. Additionally, vitamin K is good for bone health and the clotting of blood. The other vitamin is folate that can be useful for the cell function and growth of normal tissue.
Other plant substances are beta carotene, chlorogenic acid, and naringenin. That can be found in tomato skin. Beta carotene brings an orange or yellow color to a tomato skin. In the body, this antioxidant will be converted into vitamin A.
Chlorogenic acid is a powerful substance that can reduce blood pressure. Also, naringenin is the main plant compound that can decrease inflammation. The antioxidant in Roma tomato calories can lower inflaming markers in your body.
This anti-inflammatory compound will reduce oxidation if you are consuming a glass of Roma tomato juice every day. The inflammation markers will also decrease by 35 percent in a month.
In conclusion, there are several types of Roma tomatoes that give excellent health benefits for people. They are the best for cancer prevention, heart, and skin health. Despite becoming a fruit, this Italian tomato is commonly cooked as a vegetable.
Roma tomato calories may vary depending on the sizes and portions. You can enjoy the freshness in a salad or cook them to make delicious soups and sauces. Due to the tasty flavors and beneficial nutritions, it is better to grow the plants in your garden.