Beware Tomato Lovers.
Normally tomato is used in our food daily in one way or other but beware Tomato leaves and stems contain a chemical called GLYCOALKALOID which causes extreme nervousness and stomach upsets . Normally we don’t care to remove small leaves left behind and the stem as we are in a hurry .
Cooking (i.e. baking, boiling, frying, microwaving) does not significantly reduce the levels of glycoalkaloids in foods. However, there are some practices that you can follow to minimize exposure to glycoalkaloids in food plants. The advice below is specific to tomatoes as these foods are consumed in relatively greater quantities than other food plants that contain glycoalkaloids.
Minimizing Exposure to Glycoalkaloids in Tomatoes
? Consume ripe tomatoes; glycoalkaloid levels decrease as the fruit matures and ripens.
? Consume green tomatoes and products made with green tomatoes in moderation (i.e. green tomato chow, fried green tomatoes, green tomato relish).
? Do not consume the green parts of tomato plants (i.e. stem, leaves)