Hunt's Tomatoes Are Heart Healthy

We all know that eating fruits and vegetables are good for us. But do we really know the true benefits to our bodies?

Recently, I was approached by The Motherhood and Hunt's to write about the incredible health benefits of the tomato.

While I knew that tomatoes were good for me and that they contained something called lycopene. I had no idea that tomatoes were so good, they were considered a superfood!

In fact, the March/April 2011 issue of the American Journal of Lifestyle and Medicine published an article called "Tomato Consumption and Health: Emerging Benefits". This article discusses new research highlighting the relationship between consuming tomatoes and tomato products with reduced risk of certain cancers, heart disease, ultraviolet light-induced skin damage, osteoporosis, and other conditions.

Tomatoes are excellent for your heart health! They are low in calories and high in potassium, fiber, and lycopene.

Lycopene is an cartenoid high in antioxidants. Greater than 80% of American consumption of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products!

Because tomatoes are so great for heart health, I have created a recipe containing Hunt's Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles to dedicate to my Fave Cousin, Kate. Kate is a stay-at-home mom of three beautiful kiddos under the age of 5. Two of her children are heart babies. Both have undergone open heart surgeries in their infancy and are observed annually by doctors to ensure their hearts are continually healthy.

Kate strives to provide healthy diets to all of her children, keeping heart healthy dining at the forefront of her mind.

Hunt's offers several varieties of canned tomato products, all 100% natural, and all flash steamed prior to the canning process.

I encourage you to add Hunt's tomatoes to your diet and to the diets of the people that you love!


Mexican Lasagna ~

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
3 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1 can (15 oz) black beans – drained and rinsed
1 (14 ounce) can Hunt’s Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles - with juice
20 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1/2 cup prepared salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground turkey, and stir in the taco seasoning, black beans, and Hunt’s Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles.

Spray 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray and line with half the tortillas. Spoon a layer of turkey mixture into the dish. Repeat.

Spread salsa over the tortillas and cover with the cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

This is a paid post, sponsored by The Motherhood and Hunt's. Hunt's Health and tomato facts were provided by Hunt's. The recipe contained in the post is from my kitchen.