- Are sun dried tomatoes gluten free?
- Are sun dried tomatoes a common food allergen?
- Are sun dried tomatoes low fodmap?
- Water footprint of sun dried tomatoes?
- Carbon footprint of sun dried tomatoes?
- Are sun dried tomatoes sustainable?
- Are sun dried tomatoes vegan?
- Do sun dried tomatoes have human rights issues?
What are sun dried tomato benefits and side effects? Are sun dried tomatoes vegan? Gluten free? Acidic or alkaline? Low fodmap? Good for you? Healthy? Sustainable? Here are sun dried tomato pros and cons: all the info on sun dried tomatoes that every ethical consumer wants to know…
Food is something we consume every day and if youāre like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you donāt hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info Iāve found on sun dried tomato benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about sun dried tomato benefits and side effects such as sun dried tomato health benefits and/or risks, sun dried tomato sustainability, if sun dried tomatoes are vegan, and more.
After learning if sun dried tomatoes are good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be prepared to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about sun dried tomato benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Sun Dried Tomato Benefits And Side Effects
Health
Sun dried tomato health benefits may include:
- aided digestion
- improved vision
- bone health
- boost immunity
- decrease the risk of blood clotting
- detoxification
- diabetes management and prevention
- fight and prevent cancers such as breast, lung, prostate and stomach cancer
- gut health
- heart health
- lower blood pressure
- lower LDL (bad) cholesterol
- prevent and fight against several diseases
- lung health
- protect against heart attacks and strokes
- reduced inflammation
- reduced risk of heart disease and cancer
- sunburn protection
- skin health
- weight loss
Great news! There are no major or notable sun dried tomato side effects. Like all produce, be sure to buy organic whenever possible.
Sun dried tomatoes areā¦
- Gluten Free
- Not a Common Food Allergen
- A Nightshade Food, tomato allergies are rare but individuals allergic to grass pollen are more likely to be allergic to tomatoes
- Contain lectins (lectins are very important for various processes in the body but can be highly toxic in high amounts) but there is currently no evidence to prove tomato lectins have any negative effects in humans
- Part of the āDirty Dozenā
- Low Fodmap
Environment
Water footprint: low, it takes 214 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of tomatoes / 26 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of tomatoes
Carbon footprint: low, 1.1 CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of tomatoes, a car driving equivalent of 2.5 miles or 4 kilometers
Destruction: low, sun-dried tomato production is relatively sustainable, there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Sun dried tomatoes areā¦
- Sustainable
Animals
Kills: none, sun dried tomato production does not require any animals
Harms: none, sun dried tomato production does not require any animals
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from sun dried tomato production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Sun dried tomatoes areā¦
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
Laborers
Health and safety: hazardous, workers may experience physical abuse, exposure to toxic chemicals and pesticides without protection
Living conditions: poor, high rates of human trafficking, specifically in Immokalee, Florida, in the USA a third of all tomatoes are from Florida and during winter 90%, workers are in the heat and sun for 10-12 hours per day, must share living quarters with many others, sometimes 20 people
Wages: low, reports say workers earn less than 2 cents per pound of tomatoes, workers from Mexico and Guatemala are promised jobs in the USA, they are illegally trafficked and once in Florida must work on tomato farms to repay their debts to their transporters, they must additionally pay over $200 in rent every month
Sun dried tomatoesā¦
- Involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
Sun dried tomatoes are ripe tomatoes that have been dried in the sun.
Consequently, sun dried tomatoes lose most of their water content and are commonly sold in jars with olive oil.
Sun dried tomatoes have a tangy taste, chewy texture and are great to add to various pasta dishes and other Mediterranean cuisine.
Are sun dried tomatoes gluten free?
Possibly. Sun dried tomatoes may or may not be gluten free. Tomatoes do not contain gluten but dried fruits and vegetables may contain gluten.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivityā¦
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
Are sun dried tomatoes a common food allergen?
No, sun dried tomatoes are not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to sun dried tomatoes but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- peanuts
- wheat
- soybeans
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
Are sun dried tomatoes low fodmap?
Yes, sun dried tomatoes are low fodmap, a food you can eat if on a low fodmap diet.
A low FODMAP diet may help those with bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
It’s all about knowing your body. Observe what works and what doesn’t. You body might even react negatively to a low-FODMAP food simply due to intolerance. Everyone is different! Be mindful and patient. Take time to get to know what’s best for your physical health and overall wellbeing.
See this High FODMAP and Low FODMAP List of Foods
Water footprint of sun dried tomatoes?
Sun dried tomatoes likely a relatively low water footprint compared to other foods.
It takes 214 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of tomatoes / 26 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of tomatoes.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?
We must do what we can to conserve fresh water and a major way to reduce needless water consumption is to change the way we eat. Thatās not to say we need to reduce our water intakeā¦quite the opposite. Itās important for our health to drink lots of water and eat foods that hydrate. The kind of water conservation weāre talking about here is behind the scenes.
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of āwater footprintā. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Carbon footprint of sun dried tomatoes?
Sun dried tomatoes likely has a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other foods.
It takes around 1.1 CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of tomatoes, a car driving equivalent of 2.5 miles or 4 kilometers.
Food not only has a water footprint but also a carbon footprint, known as CO2e, which stands for carbon dioxide equivalent. Since carbon measurements are a bit more difficult to comprehend, it is common to equate CO2e to the distance which a car drives in miles or kilometers.
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may includeā¦
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
But thatās not all!
Itās best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Are sun dried tomatoes sustainable?
Sun dried tomato production is relatively sustainable since there is no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as there were no pesticides. Be sure to buy non GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.
A 2018 Oxford University study ā which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet ā found that āavoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earthā as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
Are sun dried tomatoes vegan?
Yes, sun dried tomatoes are vegan. Sun dried tomatoes are a tomatoes, a type of fruit, that has dried in the sun, and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environmentsā¦so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isnāt happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
Itās the best way to help animals and itās not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non Vegan Foods List
Do sun dried tomatoes have human rights issues?
At this time there are concerns with tomato production, specifically tomatoes from Immokalee, Florida.
Itās important to stay aware of human rights concerns and worker exploitation that may come with specific brands.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Worker mistreatment may involve harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks.
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve peopleās lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Be sure to read up on this list of ‘Foods You Should Always Buy Fair Trade‘
Conclusion
Sun dried tomato pros and advantages include:
- numerous health benefits
- sustainable
- vegan
- gluten free
- not a common food allergen
- low carbon footprint
- low water footprint
Sun dried tomato cons and disadvantages include:
- a nightshade food
- lectins (lectins are very important for various processes in the body but can be highly toxic in high amounts) however, there is currently no evidence to prove tomato lectins have any negative effects in humans
- high rates of laborer exploitation (more than most foods)
- part of the āDirty Dozenā
- pesticide ingestion and contamination if not organic (more than most produce)
Sources:
Tomatoes, sun-dried, packed in oil, drained – FoodData Central
Environmental Working Group: Dirty dozen
