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LycopeneAre orange tomatoes better for you?
This special variety contains a more easily absorbed antioxidant, scientists say
Food scientists at Ohio State University in Columbus have grown a special variety of orange tomatoes that may be healthier than garden-variety red tomatoes.
The orange tomatoes contain this type of antioxidant that is more readily used by the body than the type found in red tomatoes, they report.
Lycopene is an antioxidant thought to have a number of health benefits such as reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease and age-related eye problems, is what gives red tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables their rich color.
Dr. Steven Schwartz and colleagues had 12 adult volunteers eat two spaghetti test meals on separate occasions.
One meal was made with sauce from the orange tomatoes and the other with sauce from red tomatoes.
For 13 days before the test meals, the volunteers avoided eating tomatoes or food made with them. 
Blood samples taken from each subject right before the spaghetti meals and every hour or two up to 10 hours after the meals were analyzed for their content.
Results showed that absorption from the orange tomato sauce was 2.5 times higher than that absorbed from the red tomato sauce.
Blood-lycopene levels spiked about 5 hours after the orange tomato sauce meal and at this time the levels were some 200 times higher than those seen after the red tomato sauce meal.
While red tomatoes contain far more than orange tomatoes, most of it is in a form that the body doesn’t absorb well, a professor of food science and technology at Ohio State, explained in a university-issued statement.
The people in the study actually consumed less lycopene when they ate sauce made from the orange tomatoes, but they absorbed far more than they would have if it had come from red tomatoes, it was noted.
The orange tomatoes are not readily available at grocery stores; they were grown at an Ohio State-affiliated agricultural research center.
Schwartz and colleagues suggest that interested consumers could seek out orange or gold-colored heirloom tomatoes as an alternative.
Tomato & Fennel Salad
NUTRITION PROFILE:
Low Calorie ~ Low Carb ~ Low Sodium ~ Low Cholesterol ~ Low Sat Fat ~ Heart Healthy
We like to use a variety of tomatoes in this simple, but, oh so very tasty salad.
They’re at their peak during the summer months and worth seeking out at your local grocery store or farmers’ market.
Which varieties you choose is up to you ~ any and all will work great.
Makes 4 servings, about 1 cup each
ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound tomatoes, cut into wedges 2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (see Tip)
Preparation;
Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined.
Add your tomatoes, fennel, parsley and pine nuts; toss to coat.
How simple is that?
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 141 calories; 12 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 321 mg sodium; 513 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value), Vitamin A (25% dv), Potassium (15% dv).
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
TIP: Toast pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
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