Tomato is the edible berry of the plant Solanum lycopersicum, commonly known as a tomato plant. tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and the phytochemical lycopene.  Tomato, is today the most popular garden vegetable in America. For many years, however, tomatoes were considered poisonous and were grown solely for their ornamental value. 

0ne of the strangest things about the history of the tomato is the fact that, although it is of American origin, it was unknown as food in this country until long after it was commonly eaten in Europe. Tomatoes contain many health-promoting compounds including vitamins, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. In addition to its economic and nutritional importance, tomatoes have become the model for the study of fleshy fruit development.