I am a very strange and picky eater. I don't like fresh tomatoes but I will eat stewed tomatoes, rotel or diced tomatoes and salsa. I'm on day 4 of preconditioning and planning on going into the center tomorrow for a WI and my meal class is Friday. But wanted to ask on here to see what ya'll thought. So do you considered canned tomoatoes the same as fresh tomatoes as far as a "veggie" is concerned?

Thanks,
Candice

Well, I ate canned tomatoes pretty much the entire time I was on the diet, because my mom cans them and I'd add the tomato basil supplement to them and it tasted AMAZING. I still dropped pounds, but I always just wrote "tomatoes" on my food sheet, then one day I wrote "canned tomatoes" and the lady was like "You can't have canned, they have to be fresh. canned has too many sugars." I mean, I still lost tons of weight eating canned tomatoes, but maybe I'd lose faster without them? So now I've just quit eating them There goes my favorite vegetable soup! Lol

It's just my opinion, but look at how far you've come!!! You've lost 130 pounds and had canned tomatoes along the way? Keep doing it. So, they may have some sugar. Apparently not enough to keep you from losing weight. I'd go back to enjoying your veggie soup and keep up the great work!

I'm with Jen on this one. Your weightloss is amazing! I'm hoping to be there someday! And I guess if it's just sugars they are worried about.. maybe I will skip a fruit or something. I figured adding a veggie to my list of 5 that I like is better than not adding it.. but the only way I can add it is to have it canned and then cook it with something.

That's amazing weight loss!

I personally don't eat canned veggies because they have wayyy too much salt. But if it worked you - why not! :-)

My center told me no canned. However, I do use them in one recipe I have. I eat it every 2-3 weeks, one or two nights in a row. Maybe it slows, but it hasn't been detrimental. I wouldn't make them your go-to veggie.

I got used to raw tomatoes by putting them in things. I made a salsa recipe from the cookbook....put them in omelets for lunch, in a big chopped salad. Now I like them!

First, tomatoes canned at home are not the same as the ones you buy in the store and second, not all of the store brands are equal.

If you are giong to buy them check the label - beleive it or not many companies add sugar or high-fructose corn syrup to their canned tomoates. There are brands that are basically just tomatoes and those would be a much better option.

Tomatoes canned at home are even better - typically home canners do not cook the tomatoes before canning. They are often blanched slightly to remove the peel and they will cook slightly in the canner, but not as much as those canned commercially. Also, most home canners do not add sugar or salt to their tomatoes.

Hope this info helps those who love cooked tomatoes . . . they are still not technically OP, but some brands/options are better than others.

Mariah

Thanks everyone!

I went to the center today and they pretty much said the same thing as Mariah. Britt - they reommended the same thing, Ok to use but check labels and don't eat them everyday just once in a while and also said to try to chop them up and mix them into things so maybe I won't taste it as much. My food class isn't until Friday so I've really been struggling with what to make.. sense this is a complete culture change for me! The first time I cooked eggs, not using bacon grease, was Saturday morning! Oh to be southern and on a diet! I'm anxious to get the cookbook!

Some good news - I went for WI and lost 3 pounds since Thursday and this is my 3rd day with ZERO caffeine.

Congrats on the weight loss and on eliminating the caffeine - it's not easy but it is worth it!

Mariah

Congratulations!!!! It was hard for me to give up caffeine too, and I would get headaches in the beginning. In the long run, I felt so much better for it and found I functioned better without the caffeine. Go figure.

Tomatoes are such a versatile vegetable (actually a fruit) but if you are also watching your sodium intake, look at any canned or bottled tomatoes! OMG-I almost slapped my face like that kid in "Home Alone". The sodium is staggering. In 1/2 cup of bottled pasta sauce the sodium is 590 mg. When I have pasta to me the best part is the sauce. Fresh tomatoes have 0 sodium. However, I also don't like pink(fresh but too early picked) tomatoes either. My plan this year is to grow some tomatoes on my porch.

I have actually read that canned tomatoes were nutritionally superior to fresh antioxidant wise. Maybe someone here that knows why can chime in.

I agree! I don't miss caffeine at all. I actually feel more awake now that I don't drink it!

Tomatoes help keep you thin and healthy. They help ward of cancer. So enjoy them canned or fresh.
Canned tomatoes have a little added salt, but you need salt for the proper functioning of your heart, especially in the summer, as you lose a lot of salt through perspiration.

I eat both canned & fresh tomatoes.

Only tomatoes that are bought in a grocery store. They are not superior to locally or homegrown, recently picked tomatoes. The longer they sit, the more nutrients they lose, unless they are preserved by canning or freezing.

This is the order of best to worst in terms of nutrients:

Homegrown
Locally Grown
Frozen
Unsalted/Low-Sodium Canned
Produce Aisle