Where did tomatoes originate and when were they introduced to China?

Tomatoes, also known as tomatoes, are native to the Andes in South America.

1523 tomato spread from Mexico to Spain and Portugal, 1550 to Italy, 1575 to Britain and Central European countries.

The earliest record of tomatoes in China can be found in Plant Products written by Zhao Han in Ming Dynasty (16 17). Zhao Han mentioned in his book that tomatoes were brought to China by western missionaries with sunflowers during the Wanli period. 162 1 year, Wang's "Qunfangpu" once again affirmed the origin of tomatoes, and later generations believed it.

Extended data

The nutritional value of tomatoes;

Tomatoes are also appreciated by ancient and modern doctors. They are slightly cold in nature and sweet in taste, promoting fluid production to quench thirst, cooling blood and nourishing liver, clearing away heat and toxic materials, treating hypertension and scurvy, and preventing arteriosclerosis and liver diseases.

According to Lu Chuan's Materia Medica, tomatoes "strengthen the stomach and help digestion, and cure thirst and loss of appetite." Patients with hypertension eat two tomatoes on an empty stomach for half a month in the morning, which has the effect of lowering blood pressure. Eating tomatoes 2-3 times a day instead of fruit is effective in treating gingival bleeding after two weeks. Half a cup of tomato juice, half a cup of watermelon juice, mixed to take, antipyretic and polydipsia. Mix tomato juice with sugarcane juice or hawthorn juice to treat stomach heat and dry mouth.

Reference link: Baidu Encyclopedia-Tomato