HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: My husband keeps insisting that tomatoes are actually poisonous. He was born in another country, and his family never served tomatoes because his mother believed this to be true.

I, however, come from an Italian heritage, and we love tomatoes. I have several recipes for tomato sauce, which are delicious! What is the verdict on tomatoes?

— Tiffany R., Albuquerque, N.M.

DEAR TIFFANY: Tomatoes have some very healthy benefits. The tomato is actually an edible berry and considered a fruit. It contains vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants. Science and research have proved that there are protective qualities for the brain, heart and even the gut when consuming tomatoes. The sulfur in tomatoes is believed to help guard the liver from cirrhosis.

However, like so many other things in life, excessive consumption of tomatoes can build up in your system and lead to a large amount of lycopene. Although lycopene is generally safe in reasonable amounts, an excessive amount can cause digestive troubles and aggravate or lead people to experience acid reflux.

DEAR HELOISE: I love my mother-in-law, but she loves to put garlic in nearly every cooked dish that she makes. She was here for two weeks and insisted on making dinner a couple of times a week. Each meal had garlic, and I don’t mean just a trace of it. She overdoes it and sincerely believes that it will prolong a person’s life.

At dinner one night, she announced that garlic wards off illnesses. I don’t know about that, but it certainly wards off people. Does her love of garlic actually have any real benefits? — Leigh-Ann B., Baton Rouge

DEAR LEIGH-ANN: Research-backed studies have shown that garlic has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. Further studies have shown that garlic encourages better gut health, helps the body resist osteoporosis and improves cardiovascular function. It can even lead to a longer life.

Some studies show that garlic helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol in the blood. According to the American Cancer Society, a study done in China found that foods containing allium (found in garlic, leeks and onions) were associated with lower colorectal cancer.

So, your mother-in-law is correct about garlic. It really does have some wonderful health benefits.