By: MARY-JO SAWYER | SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Published: July 11, 2012 Updated: July 11, 2012 - 12:00 AM

When I moved to Richmond in the early 1980s, I had never heard of a Hanover tomato. Certainly we ate tomatoes in southwestern Virginia, but I had never witnessed such a fascination with this beautiful red fruit.

Botanically a tomato is a fruit. But it's closer nutritionally to a vegetable and most of us prefer to use them as vegetables in savory dishes. Whatever you call tomatoes, enjoy them because of their nutrients.

Tomatoes are low in calories and a good source of vitamins A and C. One medium tomato has 25 calories, 1 gram protein, no fat, 5 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 20 milligrams sodium and 20 milligrams calcium. They're also a good source of the antioxidant lycopene.

Lycopene helps protect our cells from damage that can possibly lead to premature aging, heart disease and cancer.

Some studies show that consuming diets high in lycopene, and fruits and vegetables, can help prevent prostate, lung, bladder, cervical, skin and stomach cancers. It also might reduce the risk for heart disease and macular degeneration.

Lycopene provides the reddish colors of some foods. Tomatoes, pink grapefruit, watermelon and guava are the best sources.

Tomatoes have the highest concentration of lycopene, but it is absorbed better from cooked tomatoes, as in tomato sauce, rather than raw ones. Lycopene is fat-soluble, so add a bit of oil to the recipe to increase absorption.

While we have to make do with greenhouse tomatoes in the winter, locally grown vine-ripened tomatoes taste the best.

When selecting tomatoes, look for those that are firm and shiny. Size and shape vary, but they should have smooth skins without any cracks, blemishes or bruises. Colors range from red or reddish-orange to yellow or pink. Smell the tomato at the stem. It's a good tomato if it has a garden-fresh aroma.

See more here:
Practical Nutrition: Lycopene makes tomatoes a good pick