Keep the stem end up. Don t put them on a sunny windowsill to hasten ripening. Instead, put tomatoes in a sealed paper bag with or without ethylene producing fruit such as bananas. Depending on how unripe they were to begin with, the tomatoes may take up to five days to ripen. Ripe tomatoes will hold at room temperature for two or three days.
Tomatoes are also a good source of folic acid and potassium.
In addition, tomatoes have been shown to be helpful in reducing the incidence of pancreatic and cervical cancers. Some people believe that tomatoes, as well as other members of the nightshade family, contribute to arthritis, but this is not a proven theory. To core a tomato, use the tip of a sharp paring knife to make a shallow cut all round the stem end, then pop out the core. Slicing should be done with a serrated knife or a very sharp non-serrated knife. Or, failing both, prick the skin with the tip of the knife to get a slice going.