Battling the bulge may just get easier with tomatoes, as recent research
has shown that tomatoes may help fight excess weight
.

Researchers from Reading University
said that tomatoes can instill a feeling of satiation after eating and quell the craving for snacks. This can help keep off extra calories.


Tomatoes are endowed with certain compounds which can suppress appetite and keep those cravings at bay.

During a study, women were given bread with cream cheese sandwiches as well as sandwiches with vegetable and tomato filling. Those that had the tomato sandwiches felt full and satisfied as compared to those that ate cream cheese sandwiches.

"They were given the sandwiches in a random order, and we recorded how full they said they were," Reading University researcher Dr. Julie Lovegrove said. "It was a small study, and we can't yet say what the crucial tomato ingredient is, but the results were statistically significant."

"They have fiber, which has a huge effect on satiety," she says. "Studies show that people who are obese don't sense when they are full, so tomatoes may somehow magically trigger the mind to do this."