Tomatos, a symbol of love? That’s a myth. OK, it might be true for some of you but in general the tomato has another very interesting meaning which you’ll find out about right here.
First of all: Why a tattoo with a tomato? There are probably as many reasons to get a tattoo with this mighty fruit as there are people who wear one. Some of you might just like the idea and some others might be looking for a matching tattoo with their other half. Or maybe they want to show what kind of foods they like (and I’m sure we can all agree that we don’t like tomatoes).
But why is this fruit such an interesting choice and why is it so timeless and popular?
A Tomato is timeless
Tomato tattoos are timeless for a lot of reasons. One reason is that the fresh red fruit looks good on every skin tone and color – deep, dark and suntanned or light, pale and freckled: tomatoes always look great!
Another reason why this design is so nice to wear might be the fact that you can easily make a small, but original tattoo out of it.
If you’re looking for a small, discreet design this might very well be your pick!
Another reason why the tomato is such a popular choice: It’s available in nearly every supermarket and fruit stand around the world. You can get one whenever and wherever you like or feel like it – cheap, easy and so good to eat.
But surely, there must be some meaning behind this design? Why else would someone get a tattoo with such an awesome fruit. As it turns out – yes, there is! The most popular theory about the meaning of a tomato tattoo is that it’s just another way to show your love for the red fruit.
Actually, this isn’t really true – there are other meanings behind it all. Let me explain:
The tomato is not just an awesome food but also an interesting symbol in general with some very special meaning and symbolism attached to it.
You probably know this already: The tomato is a fruit and botanically speaking it is actually a fruit, not a vegetable even though it often appears in recipes next to other vegetables.
The symbol for love:
One of the most popular meanings behind this particular tattoo design might be that of love and passion. Tomatoes, or Loves fruit, is a symbol for love and affection.
There are stories about people naming their children Tomato to show their parents just how much they love them.
Another example: A young couple might get matching tattoos with a tomato to show that they will always be together and that they will always support each other like the skin of a tomato holds all the seeds together:
Just like love and affection can be found in the translation of this tattoo design. It doesn’t matter if it’s a man or woman who wears one, tomatoes are everywhere!
Tomato tattoos, especially small ones with only the fruit itself on the skin, show that this person loves to eat tomatoes or at least enjoys them a lot.
In some cases, people who have a favorite or preferred food also get a tattoo with that particular food – from tacos to doughnuts and from pancakes to mashed potatoes: they just can’t get enough of it!
Another symbol for the tomato might be the heart. In this case, the red fruit is a great way to show that this person has a kind and generous heart. Who would donate tomatoes to the poor if they didn’t have a good and caring heart?
There is another pretty interesting theory about the meaning of a tattoo with a tomato: Did you know that in the Victorian times, ladies used to wear tomato roots around their necks or pinned them into their hair to show that they are single and ready to mingle?
A tomato tattoo might actually be a way for ladies (or gentlemen) to show the world that they are “ripe” or “ready for love”.
Not everyone who gets one of these tattoos is aware of this fact, but strangely enough it’s quite popular. Even nowadays you can spot women and men wearing tomato necklaces – even if it’s not really a necklace but rather a tattoo.
Other meanings:
Another explanation behind the love for this design could be that of life and death – or, to put it shortly: Life. The red fruit is sometimes referred to as “the forbidden fruit” which might have something to do with the knowledge of good and evil. Another explanation for this tattoo symbol could be that it represents life after death which is another one of its meanings.
There might also be a connection between the tomato and female fertility or even virginity (like mentioned before). And let’s not forget Mother Earth: She brings forth new life, like she does with the tomatoes.
The fruit is also a symbol for purity and innocence – just like its meaning behind the tattoos: A clean and honest heart that’s not tainted by any other desires than that of love and affection!
For some, this tattoo represents their passion for gardening: There might be a garden out there where nothing but tomatoes grow – at least during the warm summer months.
And last but not least, this fruit is also called the “Love apple” which refers to its meaning in Italian: “pomo d’oro”, which means golden apple. It’s one of the reasons why it became so popular in America, where you can find thousands of different types of tomatoes now – many of them are hybrids of the original species.
Finally, let’s not forget that tomatoes are also often used as ingredients for sauces or pizzas! So if you know someone who loves cooking, especially Italian food – maybe they’d appreciate this tattoo design?
