fresh raw tomatoes, food

FruitsTomato

Tomatoes are classified by Aajonus Vonderplanitz not as vegetables but explicitly as **bland fruit**, a category that includes peppers, broccoli tops, cauliflower tops, corn on the cob, mushrooms, cucumbers, and other squash. As he states directly "The following foods are often thought to be vegetables but are fruit (bland fruit): tomatoes, peppers, broccoli tops, cauliflower tops, corn on the cob, mushrooms, cucumbers and other squash." This classification carries significant dietary implications, because bland fruits occupy a unique position in the Primal Diet framework: they are not restricted to the fruit-only rules and may be eaten with acidic or alkaline foods alike, unlike other fruits that carry higher sugar loads.

Enzyme-RichAlkalizing

CategoryFruits

Primary ActionSport formula component; lycopene-rich; lymphatic hydration

Frequency{Frequency}

Best Pairing{Best Pairing}

Overview

Tomatoes are classified by Aajonus Vonderplanitz not as vegetables but explicitly as bland fruit, a category that includes peppers, broccoli tops, cauliflower tops, corn on the cob, mushrooms, cucumbers, and other squash. As he states directly "The following foods are often thought to be vegetables but are fruit (bland fruit): tomatoes, peppers, broccoli tops, cauliflower tops, corn on the cob, mushrooms, cucumbers and other squash." This classification carries significant dietary implications, because bland fruits occupy a unique position in the Primal Diet framework: they are not restricted to the fruit-only rules and may be eaten with acidic or alkaline foods alike, unlike other fruits that carry higher sugar loads.

Tomatoes play a remarkably broad role in the Primal Diet. They serve as a primary hydration vehicle, an alkalizing agent, a mineral source, a therapeutic tool for numerous acute and chronic conditions, a base for a wide range of raw sauces and culinary preparations, and a component of the Sport Formula hydration drink. They are among the most frequently cited individual whole foods in Aajonus's entire body of work, appearing across healing protocols for conditions as varied as abscessed tooth, appendicitis, arthritis, colitis, psoriasis, acne, foot problems, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and detoxification of heavy metals and drugs.

Raw fresh tomatoes, never cooked, canned, bottled, or processed, are the only form Aajonus endorses. He distinguishes sharply and repeatedly between the living, nutritive food of the fresh raw tomato and the toxic, chemicalized, mold-laden commercial products that pass under the tomato name in processed foods.

Cherry tomatoes specifically are called out by Aajonus as the most reliably available non-hothouse, truly organic option year-round, making them the preferred sourcing choice when vine-ripened field tomatoes are unavailable seasonally.

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Properties and Effects

Mineral Content and Natural Sodium Aajonus emphasizes the tomato's remarkable mineral profile, particularly its natural sodium content, as a defining characteristic that sets it apart from most other foods. He explains this in his own words in the early training materials: "It's pretty salty already. That tomato makes it salty. Once you cook a tomato it goes bland and flat. As long as the tomato is fresh, like when you bite into it, it is so sweet because it's so high in sodium and other minerals. That's why it's so sweet, salty sweet, until you cook it."

He further elaborates in workshop transcripts: "It isn't just salt that causes the sweetness, and sugars that cause a certain, it's the minerals that cause the sweetness. Because how can tomatoes be that sweet when they're not high in sugar? It's because certain minerals have sweet tastes." This is a specific and important distinction, tomatoes are not sweet due to high sugar content (unlike typical high-sugar fruits), but because of their mineral balance. He compares them favorably to celery as a sodium source: "You've got more sodium in a tomato than you do in a stalk of celery."

He adds that tomatoes represent nearly a perfect mineral balance for hydration: "Unless it's in like tomatoes, which are highest in sodium. So I say tomatoes are the best place to get your water because it's almost a perfect balance."

Lycopene and Anti-Tumor Activity Aajonus specifically identifies lycopene in tomatoes as having tumor-shrinking capacity: "Tomatoes contain lycopene that shrinks tumors, including prostate cancer, in cases when cancers have not broken skin." This is documented in the context of cancer management where the cancer has not yet broken the skin, meaning the body is still in a productive dissolution phase and tomatoes can support that process.

Alkalizing Action Raw fresh tomatoes are explicitly listed among the body's primary alkalizing foods. Aajonus lists them: "All edible raw fresh vegetable juices, raw fruits and raw fresh fruit puree are alkalizing. Raw fresh tomatoes, raw fresh figs, raw fresh pineapple, raw fresh lemons and raw fresh..." This alkalizing property is central to tomatoes' role in relieving arthritis, reducing pain, and neutralizing volatile toxins. The mechanism is detoxifying, tomatoes draw acid minerals and acid toxins out of the system.

Acid-Producing Potential When Overconsumed Aajonus describes a nuanced duality: tomatoes alkalize the blood and body systemically, yet they can create excess acidity in certain localized areas, particularly the mouth. He explains this in workshop transcripts: "Usually what it's doing is getting out the acid minerals and the acid toxins out of the mouth area. It's not the tomato doing it directly. It's the tomato relieving the acid poisons out of the system. And they have to be gotten out." He personally acknowledges: "Tomatoes make me a little acidic and if I have too many of them too long because of that surgery I had, I've added a lot of acid to back up this way because the nerves were severed from the stomach, the vagus nerves. They buckled up here so that acid goes out my mouth. So, I have to be careful with that."

Citric Acid Cycle and Athletic Performance In workshop transcripts discussing the Sport Formula, Aajonus references the citric acid cycle when explaining why tomatoes are beneficial for active people: "It's highly acidic. And it works for athletes better. Acids. Remember the citric acid cycle. Uses vitamin C. Which tomatoes have a lot of. And it helps utilize fat as energy better." This places tomatoes in the context of metabolic efficiency for physical performance, they enhance fat utilization as fuel when the body is active.

Acid Detoxification in Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Aajonus identifies tomatoes as a specific reverser of rheumatoid arthritis: "That tomato is going to be pretty important for you to soothe the skin because you have too many signs like you're going toward rheumatoid arthritis and tomato is a great reverser of that." The mechanism is acid toxin removal from joints and connective tissues.

Role in Providing Nutrients That Keep the Body Appropriately Acidic Aajonus also addresses the ideological debate about alkalinity, placing tomatoes in a carefully nuanced position: "Then what the tomato does is it provides the nutrients for the body to keep itself acidic. And all the alternatives say, oh, we need to be alkaline, we need...", suggesting that tomatoes support the body's own regulatory systems rather than forcing it into an artificial alkaline state from the outside.

Classified as a Fruit, Not a Vegetable The food combining and physiological implications of tomato being a bland fruit rather than a vegetable are explicit: "Bland fruits, such as tomato and avocado are not vegetables and may be eaten with acidic or alkaline foods." This distinguishes them from leafy vegetable salads, which have specific restrictions on oil pairing, and from high-sugar fruits, which require firm ripeness protocols.

Tomatoes as Part of the Fruit Category Aajonus confirms: "Your tomatoes are fruit, your cucumbers are fruit, zucchini, any of those sloshes, those kind of sloshes, summer sloshes, are not high in fruit. Your winter starch and sugars, your winter sloshes are high in carbohydrates." This confirms that tomatoes are low-carbohydrate fruit, important for people who need to limit sugar intake.

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Form and State

Raw and Fresh Only The only acceptable form of tomato in the Primal Diet is raw and fresh. Aajonus is emphatic and unambiguous: cooked tomatoes lose their beneficial properties entirely and actually become harmful. He notes in the early training: "Once you cook a tomato it goes bland and flat." This is not merely a flavor comment, it reflects the loss of enzymes, bioavailable minerals, and the living properties that make the raw tomato therapeutic.

Room Temperature Preferred for Preparation Multiple recipes specify: "All ingredients should be room temperature." When a tomato has been refrigerated, it is acceptable to use but the sauce recipe calls for warming the butter in hot water to bring the temperature of all ingredients toward room temperature before blending. This is not about cooking, it is about achieving optimal enzyme activity and blending consistency.

Do Not Peel Required Aajonus specifies regarding tomatoes in the context of puree preparation: "You don't have to peel the tomato, although you're not going to digest that peel anyway. But it's so thin, it doesn't matter. It'll just pass through you." This contrasts with cucumber and watermelon, which must be peeled. The tomato skin, while indigestible as cellulose, is thin enough to pass through without causing alkalizing disruption to the intestinal tract. He notes: "If you have the cucumber skin pass through you, it can cause some over alkalinity in spots and prevent you from digesting your milk and meat that may come behind it and catch up with it. And you don't want that." Tomato skin does not carry this risk.

Heirloom vs. Hybrid Aajonus explicitly favors heirloom tomatoes over hybrid varieties: "Each raw food tastes uniquely different, especially if heirloom rather than hybrid. One tomato may taste slightly different from another tomato from the same vine." The superior taste variety of heirloom tomatoes reflects greater nutritional complexity. This is not merely an aesthetic preference but reflects the philosophical principle that natural variety in flavor signals genuine nutritional variety.

Roman Variety for Appendicitis For the specific therapeutic protocol for appendicitis, Aajonus mentions a variety distinction: "Drinking a large glass of raw fresh tomatoes (for some people the Roman variety is more effective) blended with at least 5 tablespoons of unheated honey and 5 teaspoons of the fresh juice of lemons neutralizes this volatile...", indicating that for certain acute conditions, the specific variety of tomato may matter and should be explored individually.

Vine-Ripe From Mexico (Winter Option) When local field-grown tomatoes are out of season, Aajonus offers guidance on sourcing: "In California, we can get organic vine-ripe tomatoes from Mexico that are not hydroponic." This is presented as the next-best option when local organic field tomatoes are unavailable.

Pureed vs. Juiced An important technical distinction: for the Sport/Hydration Formula, tomatoes are pureed, not juiced. Aajonus explains in workshop transcripts: "Cucumber, watermelon and tomato are to be pureed not juiced, the whey is liquid byproduct of making cheese, milk is whole raw milk." Pureeing retains the full fiber and pulp matrix, which Aajonus considers beneficial for how the nutrients are delivered and utilized. Juicing removes fiber, which changes the absorption profile.

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Sourcing and Preparation

Hothouse Tomatoes Are Deficient and Not Truly Organic Aajonus is unequivocal about hothouse tomatoes. When a client discovered that all tomatoes from their local organic community grocer were hothouse-grown, Aajonus responded: "Not only are they deficient, they are not truly organic." He repeats this identical position in multiple Q&A responses. The label "organic" does not apply in a meaningful sense when tomatoes are grown in a hothouse, because the growing conditions, lack of real soil, real sunlight, real environmental interactions, mean the tomato cannot develop the full mineral and nutritional profile of a field-grown fruit.

Cherry Tomatoes as the Year-Round Reliable Option Aajonus's solution to the hothouse problem is specific: "It is always possible to get organic cherry tomatoes that are not hothouse year round." Cherry tomatoes are specifically identified as the practical alternative when regular tomatoes available locally are hothouse-grown. This makes cherry tomatoes functionally the default choice for most people in most locations for most of the year, given how prevalent hothouse growing has become in commercial organic supply chains.

Waxing Does Not Apply to Tomatoes When discussing petroleum wax on organic produce, Aajonus addresses the question directly in workshop transcripts: "Does that go for other things too? Other fruits or tomatoes or anything? Well that's the only one you puree in this diet. I mean tomatoes but they don't wax tomatoes." Tomatoes therefore do not require the same wax-related peeling precautions as cucumbers. However, the tomato skin remains indigestible regardless.

Removing Juice and Seeds for Thicker Sauces Multiple recipes contain the instruction: "If a thicker sauce is desired, slice a deep and wide cut in tomato. Over a bowl, gently squeeze tomato to remove juice and seeds. Drink tomato juice when thirsty." This technique is recommended consistently across at least a dozen recipes including Tomato Cream Cheese Sauce, Tomato Sauce, Barbecue Sauce, Creamy Cheese Pepper Sauce, Tango Meat Sauce, Hollandaise Meat Sauce, Mexican Sour Cream Sauce, and others. The important instruction is: do not discard the tomato juice, drink it when thirsty. This preserves the full mineral and enzymatic content of the fruit even when the pulp is used in a thicker preparation.

Pumpkin Seeds as a Thickening Agent in Tomato-Based Sauces Aajonus describes the use of pumpkin seeds as a natural thickener in tomato sauce: "You mix that in with the tomato and melted butter. Or you put the butter in there and mix it altogether." He explains the mechanism: "The properties, the binding properties, the gelatinous properties of the pumpkin seed make it thicker. And also the tomato has some kind of gelatinous effect too, and makes it thick when it's combined with the butter in that kind of sauce." This technique avoids any cooked thickening agents while producing a palatable sauce consistency.

Blending Instructions The standard blending method for tomato-based sauces is medium speed for 10 seconds in a jar-blender setup. When ingredients stick to the bottom blades, the instruction is: "Remove from blender and shake jar until ingredients unsettles at blades, replace on blender and resume blenderizing." Low speed is used for cream-based sauces where texture must be preserved. High speed for 10–15 seconds applies to dressings such as Thousand Island.

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Required Pairing

Fat Is the Essential Companion Raw fat must accompany tomatoes in therapeutic and culinary use. Across every recipe and protocol in which tomatoes appear, they are combined with one or more raw fats, raw unsalted butter, raw cream, stone-pressed olive oil, raw cheese, raw eggs, or coconut cream. This is not accidental. Aajonus's biochemical framework places fat as the buffer and carrier that allows the body to utilize the minerals, lycopene, and acidic components of tomatoes without causing excessive local irritation or systemic imbalance.

For the abscessed tooth remedy: tomatoes are eaten with no-salt-added raw cheese. For arthritis: tomatoes are blended with cheese. For the rheumatoid arthritis protocol: "half of a medium tomato and a chunk of cheese about inch by inch by inch and blend it together and make a sauce." For psoriasis: "Eating plenty of raw fat, fresh raw tomato puree and other raw red and orange foods." For appendicitis: honey is added. The Sport Formula adds cream, coconut cream, and eggs.

Cheese as a Specific Mineral-Binding Partner The pairing of tomato with no-salt-added raw cheese is particularly emphasized for conditions involving mineralization. In the context of an abscessed tooth: "If you're eating cheese and honey a little bit all day long, together you're going to re-mineralize the system, you're going to find that the tooth pain dissipates very quickly." The cheese provides the mineral matrix needed to counteract the acid toxin mobilization that the tomatoes initiate.

The Acid-Mouth Prevention Protocol For people prone to acid around the mouth when eating tomatoes, a symptom associated with rheumatoid arthritis tendencies, Aajonus recommends blending tomato with cheese: "The people who have it have a tendency to get acid mouth and start breaking out all around the mouth. So blending it with cheese might help prevent that." The cheese minerals neutralize the local acid while still allowing the systemic detoxification process to proceed.

Honey as an Alkalizing and Flavor Complement Unheated honey appears frequently paired with tomato, particularly in therapeutic formulas. For arthritis: raw tomatoes blended with 4 tablespoons fresh raw lemon juice. For appendicitis: blended with at least 5 tablespoons of unheated honey and 5 teaspoons lemon juice. For general detoxification drinks: 1–4 tablespoons unheated honey blended with 2–5 tomatoes, plus 1–2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar.

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Contraindications

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Therapeutic Protocols

ProtocolAbscessed Tooth

Aajonus provides a highly specific protocol: "In the case of an abscessed tooth, eating at least 15 medium-sized tomatoes per day neutralizes the condition. Eating no-salt-added raw cheese with tomatoes helps to reduce abscessed tooth pain and promotes healing. With an abscessed tooth, blending the tomatoes into puree makes them drinkable. The cheese may be blended with tomatoes."

Quantity: at least 15 medium-sized tomatoes per day Form: pureed/blended for drinkability Companion food: no-salt-added raw cheese (may be blended with tomatoes) Additional support: cheese with honey throughout the day for re-mineralization, "you're going to find that the tooth pain dissipates very quickly. You may come back the next day and you s..."

ProtocolAppendicitis

Formula: "Drinking a large glass of raw fresh tomatoes (for some people the Roman variety is more effective) blended with at least 5 tablespoons of unheated honey and 5 teaspoons of the fresh juice of lemons neutralizes this volatile..." - Raw fresh tomatoes, large glass - Unheated honey, at least 5 tablespoons - Fresh lemon juice, 5 teaspoons - Blended together - Roman variety tomatoes may be more effective for certain individuals

ProtocolArthritis (Joint Pain)

Formula: "Drinking a blend of 2 raw tomatoes with 4 tablespoons fresh raw lemon juice most often relieves pain within several hours." - 2 raw tomatoes - 4 tablespoons fresh raw lemon juice - Blended - Expected onset of relief: within several hours - Note: "All foods which help alkalize the blood are helpful in this condition, especially raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar."

ProtocolRheumatoid Arthritis (Moving Toward)

Workshop protocol: "Half of a medium tomato and a chunk of cheese about inch by inch by inch and blend it together and make a sauce. Put in white meat, red meat, fish, anything you want. You can put a little bit of any kind of bell pepper in it, hot pepper, anything that you like to go in it because that tomato is going to be pretty important for you to soothe the skin because you have too many signs like you're going toward rheumatoid arthritis and tomato is a great reverser of that." - ½ medium tomato - 1-inch cube raw cheese - Blended into sauce - Served over any meat - Optional: bell pepper, hot pepper to taste - Purpose: reversing early rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, soothing skin

ProtocolGeneral Tomato Remedy for Detoxification (Chemical/Drug Exposure)

From We Want to Live in the context of skin detoxification: "Eating plenty of raw tomatoes or a raw tomato drink (2–5 tomatoes blended with 1–4 tablespoons unheated honey and 1–2 tablespoons of raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar) neutralizes toxins that cause this condition." - 2 to 5 tomatoes (range based on individual need) - 1 to 4 tablespoons unheated honey - 1 to 2 tablespoons raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar - Blended - Used between smoothies as a standalone drink

ProtocolColitis

"Eating raw fresh grapefruit juice, raw tomatoes or raw fresh tomato puree, and small amounts of no-salt-added raw cheese or cooked pasta with a raw fresh tomato sauce made with raw tomatoes and unsalted raw butter and/or stone-pressed olive oil neutralizes volatile substances in intestinal walls and improves intestinal environment." Options: 1. Raw fresh grapefruit juice 2. Raw tomatoes 3. Raw fresh tomato puree All used with: small amounts of no-salt-added raw cheese Or: cooked pasta with raw tomato sauce made with raw tomatoes + unsalted raw butter and/or stone-pressed olive oil The purpose: neutralizes volatile substances in intestinal walls, improves intestinal environment.

ProtocolPsoriasis

"Eating plenty of raw fat, fresh raw tomato puree and other raw red and orange foods (like strawberries, cherries, red bell peppers, oranges and carrot juice) along with a balanced raw diet reverses this condition in time." - Raw fat, eaten in plenty (unspecified quantity but emphasized as primary) - Fresh raw tomato puree, central component - Other raw red and orange foods alongside - Balanced raw diet overall - Time frame: "in time", gradual reversal

ProtocolAcne Prevention (from Cooked Red/Orange Food Residues)

While the acne protocol specifically involves avoiding cooked red/orange foods, raw fresh tomatoes are listed as part of the positive intervention: "Eating live red or orange foods helps the body eliminate stored residues and resins from cooked red or orange foods through the bowels (and less through the skin)." Raw fresh tomatoes count as live red food in this protocol.

ProtocolFoot Problems, Aching or Burning Feet

"Drinking a combination of raw tomato, raw cucumber and raw carrot juices helps soothe the feet." Also topically: "Applying cold slices of fresh raw tomato, or cucumber or potato to the soles of your feet soothe and relax the feet."

ProtocolCold Feet

"Drinking a combination of raw tomato, raw spinach, raw carrot juices with the juice of ½–1 hot fresh raw pepper (chile, jalapeño, etc.) and 2 tablespoons unheated honey increases body temperature." - Raw tomato juice - Raw spinach juice - Raw carrot juice - ½ to 1 hot fresh raw pepper (chile or jalapeño) - 2 tablespoons unheated honey

ProtocolSkin Detoxification (Drug Residues, Radiation, Pesticides)

Protocol involving blending tomatoes with eggs: "Eating unripe or yellow fresh raw unripe fruit (like tomato, or papaya, or pineapple) and getting plenty of sunshine assist this detoxification. If the taste of tomatoes blended with eggs is repulsive, the smoothie can be made with another fruit. Then, in between smoothies, eating plenty of raw tomatoes or a raw tomato drink (2–5 tomatoes blended with 1–4 tablespoons unheated honey and 1–2 tablespoons of raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar) neutralizes toxins."

ProtocolPyorrhea (Gum Disease)

Tomatoes are part of a broader oral health context, alkalizing foods help. The larger protocol includes: "Raw fresh tomatoes, raw fresh figs, raw fresh pineapple, raw fresh lemons and raw fresh..." are all alkalizing and help neutralize acidity that underlies gum disease.

ProtocolProstate Cancer / Tumor Shrinkage

"Tomatoes contain lycopene that shrinks tumors, including prostate cancer, in cases when cancers have not broken skin." This is specifically for cancers that have not broken the skin. Once cancer breaks the skin, the protocol shifts to alkalizing and slowing dissolution, not accelerating it.

ProtocolAbscessed Tooth with Acid Mouth Symptom

"It's the tomato relieving the acid poisons out of the system. And they have to be gotten out. It's just with concentration of the cheese, minerals in the cheese, it might be able to keep it from coming out the skin and just come out through the gums and the salivary glands instead of out the mouth, you know, the skin here.", The cheese redirects the acid toxins from the skin surface into the gum/salivary gland pathway instead, which is managed more efficiently.

ProtocolSport / Hydration Formula

This is among the most fully documented protocols involving tomatoes. Full formula from multiple sources:

Three cups total from any combination of: - Cucumber (pureed, peeled) - Tomato (pureed, not juiced, peel optional) - Watermelon (pureed, peeled) - Raw milk (whole raw milk) - Fresh raw liquid whey

Remainder of ingredients: - 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar - 2 tablespoons lime juice - 2 teaspoons lemon juice - 2 tablespoons coconut cream - 2 tablespoons dairy cream - 2–3 eggs (depending on size) - 1–2 tablespoons unheated honey (optional)

Total volume when blended: approximately 1 quart Method: blend all together; drink/sip throughout the day for hydration

Aajonus notes in workshop transcripts: "Some people don't like the tomato in it. It's highly acidic. And it works for athletes better. Acids. Remember the citric acid cycle. Uses vitamin C. Which tomatoes have a lot of. And it helps utilize fat as energy better. If you're just trying to hydrate yourself, you're perspiring a lot, but not physically active, very active, then you don't have to have the tomato. You can have watermelon."

A specific version for athletes given in workshop: "Let's say you had three quarters cup of each of those four things. That would make your three cups.", meaning equal proportions of cucumber, tomato, watermelon, and milk/whey.

From a specific consultation transcript, a tomato-forward version: "I have tennis players, champion tennis players doing a mix of one to one and a half cups of tomato two cups of the cucumber puree."

The formula is also documented as adaptable per season and location: "I suggest that you use liquid fresh whey, tomatoes and milk as the base for the Sport Formula. In California, we can get organic vine-ripe tomatoes from Mexico that are not hydroponic."

ProtocolGeneral Tomato Formula (Once Every 3 Days)

From workshop transcript for general health support: "Let's say if you take about 2 cups of tomatoes and cut them up and blend them with 3 tablespoons of cow's cream, 1 tablespoon of butter, half a teaspoon of vinegar, quarter of a teaspoon of ginger juice, and 2 tablespoons of honey, and blend that all together. And have that like once every 3 days. You can do it as often as every other day, but sometimes it will just make you too acid." - 2 cups tomatoes (cut up) - 3 tablespoons cow's cream - 1 tablespoon butter - ½ teaspoon vinegar - ¼ teaspoon ginger juice - 2 tablespoons honey - Blend together - Frequency: once every 3 days (maximum every other day)

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Topical Applications

Cold Tomato Slices for Aching or Burning Feet "Applying cold slices of fresh raw tomato, or cucumber or potato to the soles of your feet soothe and relax the feet." This is documented as a direct topical application for foot pain and burning sensation. The tomato is used in its whole, fresh, cold state, sliced and placed against the sole.

No specific duration is given, but the context implies use as needed for relief. Cucumber and potato are listed as alternatives or additional options alongside tomato.

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Dosage and Safety

Abscessed Tooth, Maximum Therapeutic Dose At least 15 medium-sized tomatoes per day. This is the highest specific dosage mentioned anywhere in the source materials. It is presented as a minimum threshold rather than a ceiling, "at least 15."

Arthritis Formula Dose 2 raw tomatoes blended with 4 tablespoons lemon juice. This is described as typically relieving pain "within several hours." No daily frequency limit is specified for this formula.

General Tomato Formula, Frequency Cap Once every 3 days is the recommended frequency for the 2-cup tomato formula with cream, butter, vinegar, ginger, honey. "You can do it as often as every other day, but sometimes it will just make you too acid." The cap is every other day maximum.

Detoxification Drink 2 to 5 tomatoes per preparation, blended with 1–4 tablespoons honey and 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. The range accommodates individual body size and condition severity.

Sport Formula Proportions Up to 1.5 cups of tomato puree in a roughly quart-sized formula (as in the tennis player version). This is a daily use formula for athletes during high-activity periods.

Overuse Warning Aajonus notes from personal experience: "Eating too many tomatoes. So, I eat more cucumbers and have the cucumber pulp and that helps everything." He substitutes cucumber in large part for tomato when he needs to moderate acidity, particularly due to his vagus nerve injury from prior surgery.

Headache Contraindication Period If headaches develop during a mineral replenishment phase: "Tomatoes should not be eaten for a week or more." Return to tomato consumption only after the headaches have resolved.

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Culinary Applications

The Core Principle of Tomato-Based Sauces Aajonus explains the basic method for tomato sauces: "Press 4 tablespoons unsalted raw butter against the inside walls of an 8-ounces canning jar and put a lid on it tightly. Place the jar into water that is as hot as your fingers can stand without burning them. While the butter melts for 5–10 minutes, slice one medium tomato that is room temperature and then blend it with the melted butter and fresh raw herbs, fresh raw pepper, fresh raw onion and fresh raw garlic if you like. Pour that mixture over raw meat."

This water-bath warming technique preserves the raw status of all ingredients while bringing them to a workable temperature for blending. The water should be hot enough to melt the butter but not hot enough to burn fingers, a practical food-temperature safeguard that keeps the food technically raw.

Tomato Sauce, Basic 1 Serving: - ½ tomato - 4 tablespoons raw unsalted butter (or stone-pressed olive oil) - ½-inch cube no-salt-added raw cheese - 1 slice fresh garlic - ½ to 1 tablespoon chopped fresh red onion - Favorite fresh herbs to taste (optional)

All ingredients at room temperature. Warm butter in 8-ounce jar in bowl of warm water until butter melts. Add rest of ingredients and blenderize on medium speed for 10 seconds.

If thicker sauce desired: cut deep and wide slit in tomato, squeeze over bowl to remove juice and seeds, drink juice when thirsty.

Tomato Cream Cheese Sauce 1 Serving: - 2 tablespoons raw cream - ½ diced tomato - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice - 1-inch cube no-salt-added raw cheese - 2 tablespoons grated no-salt-added raw cheese

For thicker sauce: squeeze tomato of juice and seeds, drink juice. Blenderize all ingredients except grated cheese together in a 4-ounce jar on low speed for 10 seconds. Pour over meat and top with sprinkled grated cheese.

Creamy Cheese Pepper Sauce 1 Serving: - 2 tablespoons grated no-salt-added raw cheese - 2 tablespoons raw cream - ½ medium tomato - 1 teaspoon mustard (Primal Mustard recipe) - ⅓ jalapeño - ¼ hot red pepper - 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh bay leaves (optional)

For thicker sauce: squeeze tomato. Place all ingredients in 8-ounce jar, blenderize 5–10 seconds.

Barbecue Sauce 2 Servings: - 1 medium tomato - ¼ to ½ fresh hot pepper (such as jalapeño) - 4 tablespoons stone-pressed olive oil - 1 teaspoon raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar - 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil - 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme - ⅛ teaspoon minced fresh garlic (optional) - 1 teaspoon diced fresh red onion

For thicker: squeeze tomato of juice and seeds. Blenderize all ingredients except onion together in 8-ounce jar for 7 seconds. Stir onion into sauce or sprinkle over sauce after poured over meat.

Tango Meat Sauce 1 Serving: - 3 tablespoons room-temperature soft raw unsalted butter - 1 teaspoon grated horseradish (or horseradish recipe) - ½ tomato - 1 teaspoon unheated honey - 2 tablespoons olive oil

For thicker: squeeze tomato. Blenderize all ingredients together on medium speed for 10 seconds.

Alternative 1: Blenderize all ingredients except mustard on medium speed for 10 seconds; stir-marbleize mustard into sauce. Alternative 2: Blenderize all ingredients except tomato in 4-ounce jar on medium speed for 10 seconds; dice tomato and fold into sauce.

Mexican Sour Cream Sauce 6 Servings: - 1 slice minced fresh garlic - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh red onion - 1 tomato - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro - 1 cup Sour Cream (Primal recipe)

Slice deep and wide cut in tomato, gently squeeze over bowl to remove juice and seeds, drink juice. Chop tomato. [Mix with remaining ingredients.]

Hollandaise Meat Sauce (with tomato version) 1 Serving: - 1 tomato - 1 teaspoon unheated honey - 2 tablespoons stone-pressed olive oil

All at room temperature. For thicker: squeeze tomato. Blenderize together in 8-ounce jar on medium speed for 5 seconds.

Egg/Cheese Basil Sauce 1 Serving: - 2 tablespoons unsalted raw butter, or raw cream, or raw milk - 1 egg - 4 tablespoons grated no-salt-added raw Monterey cheese - 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves - 1 diced tomato - 1 teaspoon pickled peppers/pimentos (optional)

Blenderize egg, 1 tablespoon basil, and other base ingredients. Fold in diced tomato.

Alternative 1: Rather than blenderizing basil into sauce, cover meat with sauce and top with sprinkled basil. Alternative 2: Stir all ingredients together for 1 minute rather than blenderizing.

Thousand Island Meat Dressing (Cherry Tomato Version) 4 Servings: - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - 1½ teaspoons unheated honey - ¾ cup cherry tomatoes - 1 teaspoon vinegar - 2 tablespoons olive oil - ½-inch cube no-salt-added raw Monterey cheese - 1 teaspoon fresh red onion (optional) - 1 slice fresh garlic (optional)

Cut cheese into thin slices. Blenderize all ingredients together in a 12-ounce jar on high speed for 10–15 seconds. This dressing will keep in refrigeration for several weeks in closed jar. This is one of the few recipes where the storage duration is specified, and it is notable that cherry tomatoes, used whole, provide the tomato component.

Ceviche (White Fish with Tomato) 1 Serving: - 5 to 8 ounces fresh ocean wild-caught raw fish - 3 to 4 ounces fresh lemon or lime juice - ½ to 1 diced fresh tomato - 4 to 6 tablespoons flax oil or stone-pressed olive oil - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro - 1 tablespoon chopped red onion (optional) - 1 slice minced fresh garlic (optional)

Dice fish and marinate in lemon or lime juice for 20 minutes to 24 hours. Stir oil, onion, and garlic together for 1 minute. Pour off lemon or lime juice from fish. Pour oil mixture over fish. Top with diced tomato. Note: Alternative substitutes ⅓ cup pineapple for tomato.

Escolar Fresca 1 Serving: - 5 to 8 ounces Escolar fish - ½ diced tomato - 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice - 1 tablespoon diced apples - 1 teaspoon diced red onion (optional) - 1 teaspoon unheated honey (optional)

Pumpkin Seed Tomato Sauce (Spaghetti-Style) From early training recordings, Aajonus describes his personal favorite preparation: Blending tomato with melted butter and pumpkin seeds, with optional garlic and fresh oregano: "You mix that in with the tomato and melted butter. Or you put the butter in there and mix it altogether. And you can put in garlic, oregano too if you want, preferably fresh. And just set it in the... Put the blender blades on top. Set it all in hot water and let it melt down." He notes: "Then I will pour that over the bread, the crust. And then I will grate the cheese and I will spread that all over it too." He also makes a meat version: "I will take ground beef and I will fold that whole sauce in it and then I will spread that all over it."

He describes this as his favorite recipe when asked directly: "(Aajonus laughs.) That's mine. Just that way with spaghetti."

Salsa/Dipping Sauce with Tomato Various recipes include a tomato-based component as a "spice paste" or finishing sauce. The general principle allows for fresh herbs (basil, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, cilantro), fresh garlic, fresh red onion, jalapeño, and chile to be combined with tomato and fat in virtually any combination.

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Primary Derivative

Tomato Juice (Squeezed Out During Sauce Making) When preparing thicker sauces, the juice and seeds are squeezed out of the tomato before the pulp is blended. This juice is not discarded, the consistent instruction across all applicable recipes is: "Drink tomato juice when thirsty." This represents the primary tomato-derived product in the Primal Diet context. It is the fresh raw juice extracted by hand squeezing, not by machine juicing. It retains the full mineral and enzymatic content and is consumed directly, at room temperature, without any additions. It functions as a hydrating mineral drink.

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Historical Context

99% of Commercial Tomato Products Are Made from Rotten Tomatoes Aajonus documents this comprehensively in multiple sources with remarkable consistency. In the Q&A materials: "Ninety-nine percent of all store-bought tomato sauces and tomato soups are made with spoiled tomatoes, robust with fermentation and molds. Food processors season the spoiled tomatoes with 'natural' and artificial flavorings to hide the rotten tastes and make the spoiled tomatoes taste appealing. But, basically, we are eating rotten tomatoes and paying a fortune for them, and they make our bodies toxic and advance our bodies toward disease."

"Most commercial tomato sauces and tomato soups are made with spoiled tomatoes. They are full of fermentation and molds. The tomatoes sit in open trucks in the hot sun for days, spoiling. After the spoiled tomatoes are sterilized, they are seasoned with chemical and/or processed flavorings to hide the rotten taste."

He adds: "If we eat those sauces and soups, we eat rotten food and chemicals. A little spoiled raw food has been shown to be beneficial to health, but not when processed, sterilized and eaten repeatedly. Diets of spoiled, cooked and processed foods have proved repeatedly to coincide with disease. We may pay twice more for them, through loss of health and work."

Processed Food Loses Flavor in 5–6 Chews Because It Is Artificial Aajonus uses tomatoes as a contrast case for illustrating the artificiality of processed food flavors: "You may have noticed that most processed food when chewed loses its flavor and palatability within 5 or 6 chews. That is because the flavor is artificial. Most processed foods are from spoiled, rancid, and repulsive-tasting vegetable, grain, dairy or meat products." A fresh raw tomato, by contrast, retains and even develops flavor with chewing because its flavor is generated by genuine mineral and enzymatic activity.

Organic Labeling Does Not Guarantee Soil- or Sun-Grown Production The hothouse tomato situation reveals a systemic problem with organic labeling. When asked whether non-organic field-grown tomatoes might be preferable to organic hothouse tomatoes, Aajonus responds: "Not only are they deficient, they are not truly organic." The implication is that organic certification is being granted to hothouse operations that cannot legitimately claim to produce food with the nutritional profile of organically grown field produce. The solution Aajonus offers, cherry tomatoes available year-round as genuinely non-hothouse organic, represents a practical workaround within a compromised system.

Canned Tomato Products, Rotten Before Canning "Most canned and bottled food, like fruit and tomato purees and sauces, were rotten. Then they were very processed and chemicalized to hide the rotten taste. If food is moist in the can, it is contaminated with metal from moisture leaching metals from the can. Metal-leaching causes low-grade, gradual toxic mineral/metal-poisoning." This adds a heavy metal exposure concern on top of the spoilage issue for all canned tomato products.

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Cross-References