Nutritionists Open Up A Can Of Tomatoes & Here's What They Make

It's nearing the end of another long week, which means it's nearly time to hunker down with a good book and some comfort food. Think tomato soup, a bowl of chili, and practically any and all pasta. But what do all of these cozy dishes have in common? Canned tomatoes, of course. 

Aside from her Italian roots, Cording chooses canned tomatoes because "They're a good source of immune-supporting vitamin C." The antioxidant lycopene1, present in red tomatoes in particular, helps support the immune system by reducing inflammation. 

Pro tip: "Lycopene becomes more bioavailable when you add fat, like olive oil," Cording said. 

Aside from just tasting good, the act of squeezing whole canned tomatoes in your hands can actually be quite cathartic. "My typical response to stress is to make a batch of marinara," Cording said. She'll then repurpose it for dishes like shakshuka or tomatoey butter beans and olives." 

Unfortunately, most marinara recipes contain sugar to balance the acidity, and functional medicine doctor Mark Hyman, M.D., recommends reducing or cutting out refined sugar to help strengthen immunity.