SCOTTDALE, Ariz., April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Who better to provide healthy eating tips than a group of skilled dietetics professionals from the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association? Such was the genius behind the Great Tomato Tip-Off Contest!, a partnership effort between the Tomato Products Wellness Council (TPWC) and SCAN which encouraged dietitians to send in their best tips for promoting heart healthy tomato products into the diet. Tomato products (paste, sauce, diced, whole or any other form of canned or processed tomato products, including low-sodium options) contain an array of nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and lycopene that can protect the heart from disease in a number of ways, making them a perfect fit for a heart healthy diet. The final selection of winning tips was based on originality, practicality, consumer appeal, nutritional value, and affordability. The winners were announced at The Seven Wonders of Wellness SCAN Symposium in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 18, 2009. Winning tomato tips will be published on the TPWC Web site, as well as in upcoming tomato wellness materials.

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1st PLACE: Colleen Kvaska, MA, RD, CDE teaches nutrition courses at California State University, Fullerton and Fullerton College:

Toss diced, canned Tomatoes with jalapenos and black beans for a satisfying salsa.

To save time, use canned, chopped tomatoes in tacos and tostadas.

Pour tomato sauce over sliced Meatloaf, add sprigs of parsley for eye appeal.

Add canned tomatoes to canned soups to boost Vitamin C and potassium.

Toss drained, diced tomatoes with freshly chopped basil, spoon on to grilled fish.

Pour canned, diced tomatoes over chicken breasts, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake.

Scatter Italian seasoned, canned tomatoes on a baked frozen pizza for a fresh taste.

Add diced, drained, canned tomatoes to cooked Spanish rice or couscous.

2nd PLACE: Dominique Adair, MS, RD lives in Santa Monica, California, and directs Adair Fitness & Nutrition, a company which aims to educate and empower individuals and corporations to make health-supporting choices through nutrition and exercise:

Make Tuesday the day you make sure to eat at least three tomato products. As a reminder of all the wonderful nutrients in tomatoes (vitamin C, lycopene, and other health promoting disease fighting compounds) on Tuesdays, make sure you eat at least three tomato products. Add tomato paste to soups, stews and casseroles; drink tomato juice for breakfast; take a spoonful of diced tomatoes and add them to a wrap or sandwich; add extra tomato sauce to your pizza slice. Get creative -- if it's Tuesday, it's tomato day.

3rd PLACE: Siri Zimmerman, BS is an RD-eligible student finishing up her Masters of Science in Public Health Nutrition at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, in May 2009:

While you are trying to brainstorm ways to eat healthy tomatoes, think cross-culturally. Mexican food is known for spicy salsas, containing garlic, lime and cilantro. Italians create traditional dishes with elegant spaghetti sauces, flavorful pizza sauce, and tomato bruschetta. Some African stews made in slow cookers have a tomato and peanut butter base. Always keep cans of tomatoes in stock at home. When looking for a new twist on dinner, pick a tomato dish from another culture and innovatively add your own blend of spices and food combinations. Be creative, because it never hurts to try something new!

The Tomato Products Wellness Council is an organization of tomato growers, processors and well-known brands working to create awareness of the health benefits of tomato products by providing industry-wide leadership, communications and scientific research.

If you would like additional information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Rodger Wasson (831) 254-5405 or rw@tomatowellness.com.

SOURCE Tomato Products Wellness Council

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