Originated in western South America, tomatoes are the edible, often red, berries of the Solanaceae family. Even though the tomato is botanically classified as fruit, it is still rather widely deemed a "culinary vegetable" because it has a much lower sugar content than culinary fruits, considering it is typically served as part of a salad or main course of a meal, rather than as a dessert. Besides, this fruit (or vegetable – whatever you want to call it) is a moderate source of vitamin C, not to mention that it remains a major source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.