Tomatillo

The tomatillo or “green tomato” is a fruit, although it is primarily used as vegetable. In the United States, they are mainly produced in Texas. A medium-sized tomatillo contains only 10 calories, and is full of vitamins A, C, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and dietary fiber. This fruit is low in saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium. According to a study focusing on Mexican tomatillos conducted by doctors Choi, Murillo, Su, Pezzuto, Kinghorn and Mehta of different American universities, some of the tomatillo’s substances inhibit the development of cancerous cells, specifically that of colon cells. To keep them fresh for a longer period of time, you should remove its husk and store them in a paper bag.

The name of the study is Ixocarcalactone A Isolated from the Mexican Tomatillo Shows Potent Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Activity in Colon Cancer Cells and can be found in the December 2006 issue. For more information, please visit www.febsjournal.org.