Only in pasta? I added tomatoes to bibim guksu and ramen... Did this kind of change happen?

The surprising reason why tomatoes enhance the flavor of food?

Although I have my own car, I feel that adding tomatoes to cooking improves the taste. Why is that? Tomatoes contain glutamic acid, which is the main component of seasonings. It is an ingredient that enhances the flavor of dishes. The reason why tomatoes have been used for a long time in Western cuisine as an auxiliary ingredient in various dishes is due to their seasoning effect. In Korea as well, dishes have been flavored with anchovies and kelp that are rich in glutamic acid. In particular, tomatoes are one of the best health foods, providing a dual benefit.

Cooking tomatoes increases their nutrients... Why?

Many vegetables and fruits lose their nutrients when heated. However, tomatoes retain most of their nutrients even after cooking, and their nutrients become more concentrated. According to the National Cancer Information Center, processed tomatoes have greater anticancer effects than raw ones.

The key ingredient, lycopene, is more abundant in fully ripened tomatoes, and processed tomato products are made from fully ripened tomatoes. The highest concentration of lycopene is found in tomato paste, with 55.5 mg per 100g, followed by tomato sauce, tomato ketchup, tomato purée (tomatoes mashed and filtered to concentrate), spaghetti sauce, tomato juice, and fresh raw tomatoes.

Adding sesame oil and tomatoes to bibim guksu... increased lycopene even more

The main component of tomatoes is lycopene, a substance that gives them their red color. It has the function of expelling active oxygen in the body that accelerates aging and damages DNA. This is why tomatoes help slow down cellular aging in the body. Lycopene becomes more active when combined with oil. Adding perilla oil and tomatoes to bibim noodles enhances the nutty flavor and increases lycopene content. Although it is a wheat-based dish, adding other vegetables such as cucumbers can reduce this disadvantage.

Tomatoes in ramen... Suppressing blood sugar spikes caused by carbohydrates

Recently, more people are adding tomatoes to their ramen. Ramen provides the conditions for lycopene in tomatoes to become active. However, it is also fried carbohydrate in oil. Tomatoes, which are rich in dietary fiber, help suppress blood sugar spikes caused by ramen consumption. Cherry tomatoes contain more iron, calcium, zinc, and dietary fiber than regular tomatoes, and vitamin A is more than twice as much. Let's try incorporating tomatoes into various noodle dishes. While opinions may vary, it offers significant nutritional benefits.