Tomatoes, crushed, canned
Whole food · Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Photo: Wikipedia
Crushed canned tomatoes are ripe tomatoes cooked down and broken into a thick, pulpy sauce, often with their juices. They offer a concentrated, sweet-tart tomato flavor with a rustic, chunky texture that's more substantial than purée but smoother than diced. Nutritionally, they're a low-calorie, high-fiber staple, providing a solid dose of vitamin C and lycopene.
💚 Why it's loved
People love them for their deep, cooked-tomato umami and the convenience of having a ready-to-use base for countless sauces, soups, and stews. They are a cornerstone of home cooking, offering consistent flavor and texture without the prep work of fresh tomatoes.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Some brands can be high in sodium, which may concern those monitoring salt intake. The natural acidity can also aggravate heartburn or acid reflux in sensitive individuals. To counteract this, choose 'no salt added' versions and rinse them lightly if needed, or pair them with a pinch of baking soda to neutralize acidity in cooking.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of lycopene, an antioxidant linked to heart health.
- High in vitamin C, supporting immune function and skin health.
- Good source of dietary fiber for digestive health.
- Low in calories and fat, making them a healthy base for sauces.
- Convenient way to get tomato nutrition year-round.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Canning tomatoes actually increases the bioavailability of lycopene, making your body absorb more of this antioxidant than it would from fresh, raw tomatoes.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 89.4 g |
| Energy | 32.0 kcal |
| Energy | 134 kj |
| Protein | 1.6 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.28 g |
| Ash | 1.4 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 7.3 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.9 g |
| Total Sugars | 4.4 g |
| Sucrose | 0.02 g |
| Glucose | 2.0 g |
| Fructose | 2.3 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.00 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 34.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.3 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 20.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 32.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 293 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 186 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.27 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.18 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.18 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.60 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 9.2 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.07 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.05 mg |
| Niacin | 1.2 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.28 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.15 mg |
| Folate, total | 13.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 13.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 13.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 12.9 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 11.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 129 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 215 iu |
| Lycopene | 5106 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 158 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.3 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 5.3 ug |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.04 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.03 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.01 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.11 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.11 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
| Tryptophan | 0.01 g |
| Threonine | 0.04 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.04 g |
| Leucine | 0.06 g |
| Lysine | 0.06 g |
| Methionine | 0.01 g |
| Cystine | 0.02 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.04 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.03 g |
| Valine | 0.04 g |
| Arginine | 0.04 g |
| Histidine | 0.02 g |
| Alanine | 0.04 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.21 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.57 g |
| Glycine | 0.04 g |
| Proline | 0.03 g |
| Serine | 0.04 g |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
FAQ
What's the difference between crushed, diced, and puréed canned tomatoes?
Crushed are broken into uneven chunks and pulp; diced are uniform cubes; puréed are completely smooth. Crushed tomatoes offer a middle-ground texture perfect for chunky sauces.
Can I use crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce?
Yes, but crushed tomatoes are thicker and chunkier. For a smoother sauce, you can blend them or cook them down longer. They often provide more texture and a fresher tomato flavor than pre-made sauce.
How long do opened canned tomatoes last in the fridge?
Transfer unused tomatoes to an airtight container and they will keep for 5-7 days. For longer storage, freeze them in ice cube trays or freezer bags for up to 6 months.