Tomato
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The tomato, or Solanum lycopersicum, to give it its very formal Latin name, is a member of the nightshade or solanaceae family. It is generally found in a red, orange or in some cases even an almost purplish or black color.
The tomato has a very much varied history, having been discovered separately in a number of different places. The tomato is believed to have first been discovered and used in the Americas long before the coming of the first Europeans. Because much of recorded history was lost horticultural knowledge was lost when the first Europeans came, it is impossible to put an actual century time frame to the discovery of the tomato in the Americas . Andrew F. Smith, author of The Tomato in America has stated that it is his belief that the tomato on this continent started out in that area which is known as the highlands on the west coast of South America and then migrated to other parts of the area.
After the Spanish invasion of South America , they took the tomato and soon had it introduced into all of their colonies and other areas which they visited. Recorded cultivation of the tomato in Europe is dated sometime around 1540.
The history of the tomato was different in Italy , where it was considered poisonous to eat and was classified with flowers and used merely for its decorative abilities. It wasn't until several hundred years later, sometime in the 18 th century to be exact, that it actually became accepted as a food on a national level, having been eaten up until then only by a few adventurous individuals. Some having tried it, found it to be safe and then shared that knowledge with their families and friends.
The tomato wasn't grown in England until sometime in the 1590's when it was introduced by John Gerard. He considered it poisonous and there again it was grown for its decorative beauty.
The tomato is recorded in the history of North America in 1710, when it was noted by herbalist William Salmon as growing in South Carolina where it was regarded as a flower or decorative plant. In the early part of the 19 th century, thanks to well known people like Thomas Jefferson, the reputation of the tomato began to change and by 1824, it had become a popular food in North America .
The tomato became popular in France during the later part of the 18 th century and they were definitely regarded as a popular food, possibly also because of their coloring which was equated with the blood of the French Revolution.
In today's world, medical doctors and other professional health care experts have said that clinical studies have shown that the tomato is beneficial in helping to maintain a healthy heart and a healthy prostrate, as well as being beneficial to the human body in other ways.
