Orange tomatoes healthier than red

bully · March 4, 2007

http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/article...sid=28&sid=ENV

Orange tomatoes are healthier than red ones
Washington, Feb 28: Though red tomatoes contain ‘lycopene’, a disease-fighting antioxidant that gives it the colour, a special variety of orange-coloured tomatoes provide a different form of ‘lycopene’, one that our bodies may more readily accept.

Researchers found that eating spaghetti covered in sauce made from these orange tomatoes, called Tangerine tomatoes, caused a noticeable boost in this form of lycopene in participants` blood.

"While red tomatoes contain far more lycopene than orange tomatoes, most of it is in a form that the body doesn`t absorb well," said Steven Schwartz, the study`s lead author and a professor of food science and technology at Ohio State University.

"The people in the study actually consumed less lycopene when they ate sauce made from the orange tomatoes, but they absorbed far more lycopene than they would have if it had come from red tomatoes," he added.

The tomatoes used for this work were developed specifically for the study - these particular varieties aren`t readily available in grocery stores. The researchers suggest that interested consumers seek out orange- and gold-coloured heirloom tomatoes as an alternative to Tangerine tomatoes, but caution that they haven`t tested how much or what kind of lycopene these varieties contain.

Lycopene belongs to a family of antioxidants called the carotenoids, which give certain fruits and vegetables their distinctive colours. Carotenoids are thought to have a number of health benefits, such as reducing the risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration.

"The tomato is a wonderful biosynthetic factory for carotenoids, and scientists are working on ways to enhance the fruit`s antioxidant content and composition," Schwartz continued.

Several years ago, Schwartz and his colleagues discovered the abundance of several of these isomers, called cis- lycopenes, in human blood. But most of the tomatoes and tomato-based products we currently consume are rich in all-trans*-lycopene.

"We don`t know why our bodies seem to transform lycopene into cis-isomers, or if some isomers are more beneficial than others," Schwartz said.

The researchers don`t know if tomatoes rich in cis-lycopene would provide greater health benefits to humans, but the study`s results suggest that tomatoes can be used to increase both the intake and absorption of the health-beneficial compounds.

The researchers made spaghetti sauce from two tomato varieties - tangerine tomatoes, which get their name from their orange skin and are high in cis-lycopene, and a tomato variety chosen for its rich beta carotene content.

The tomatoes were grown at an Ohio State-affiliated agricultural research station in northwestern Ohio. Following harvest, both tomato varieties were immediately processed into canned tomato juice and concentrated. Italian seasoning was added for taste.

The participants` bodies also readily absorbed beta carotene from the beta carotene-rich tomatoes.

"Right now, only carrots and sweet potatoes are a more readily available, richer source of beta carotene," Schwartz said.

"And this carotenoid is a major source of vitamin A for a large proportion of the world`s population. Its deficiency is a serious health problem in many developing countries,’ he added.

The findings appear in a recent issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Bureau Report

March 4, 2007	#1
bully Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S.E. MI Posts: 794	Orange tomatoes healthier than red http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/article...sid=28&sid=ENV Orange tomatoes are healthier than red ones Washington, Feb 28: Though red tomatoes contain ‘lycopene’, a disease-fighting antioxidant that gives it the colour, a special variety of orange-coloured tomatoes provide a different form of ‘lycopene’, one that our bodies may more readily accept. Researchers found that eating spaghetti covered in sauce made from these orange tomatoes, called Tangerine tomatoes, caused a noticeable boost in this form of lycopene in participants` blood. "While red tomatoes contain far more lycopene than orange tomatoes, most of it is in a form that the body doesn`t absorb well," said Steven Schwartz, the study`s lead author and a professor of food science and technology at Ohio State University. "The people in the study actually consumed less lycopene when they ate sauce made from the orange tomatoes, but they absorbed far more lycopene than they would have if it had come from red tomatoes," he added. The tomatoes used for this work were developed specifically for the study - these particular varieties aren`t readily available in grocery stores. The researchers suggest that interested consumers seek out orange- and gold-coloured heirloom tomatoes as an alternative to Tangerine tomatoes, but caution that they haven`t tested how much or what kind of lycopene these varieties contain. Lycopene belongs to a family of antioxidants called the carotenoids, which give certain fruits and vegetables their distinctive colours. Carotenoids are thought to have a number of health benefits, such as reducing the risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration. "The tomato is a wonderful biosynthetic factory for carotenoids, and scientists are working on ways to enhance the fruit`s antioxidant content and composition," Schwartz continued. Several years ago, Schwartz and his colleagues discovered the abundance of several of these isomers, called cis- lycopenes, in human blood. But most of the tomatoes and tomato-based products we currently consume are rich in all-trans*-lycopene. "We don`t know why our bodies seem to transform lycopene into cis-isomers, or if some isomers are more beneficial than others," Schwartz said. The researchers don`t know if tomatoes rich in cis-lycopene would provide greater health benefits to humans, but the study`s results suggest that tomatoes can be used to increase both the intake and absorption of the health-beneficial compounds. The researchers made spaghetti sauce from two tomato varieties - tangerine tomatoes, which get their name from their orange skin and are high in cis-lycopene, and a tomato variety chosen for its rich beta carotene content. The tomatoes were grown at an Ohio State-affiliated agricultural research station in northwestern Ohio. Following harvest, both tomato varieties were immediately processed into canned tomato juice and concentrated. Italian seasoning was added for taste. The participants` bodies also readily absorbed beta carotene from the beta carotene-rich tomatoes. "Right now, only carrots and sweet potatoes are a more readily available, richer source of beta carotene," Schwartz said. "And this carotenoid is a major source of vitamin A for a large proportion of the world`s population. Its deficiency is a serious health problem in many developing countries,’ he added. The findings appear in a recent issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Bureau Report