Better Tangy Tomatoes For Good Health

Another tasty piece of advice — eat right to stay healthy — top your pasta dishes, pizza and salads with tangy sun-dried tomatoes! A recent research on tomatoes from Turkey’s Ege University announced that tomatoes apparently have a lot more to offer us. The sun-dried tomatoes win hands-down for being able to supply us thrice the amount of lycopene as the fresh ones and 50% more than the canned variety. Lycopene, according to Wikipedia, is a bright red carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits. It derived its name from the tomato’s species classification, Solanum lycopersicum. In plants, algae, and other photosynthetic organisms, lycopene is an important intermediate in the biosynthesis of many carotenoids, including beta carotene, which are responsible for pigmentation, photosynthesis, and photo-protection. So, the fresh is not always the best. Just like the fresh or raw oysters — they’re even deadly — but this comparison is an ultimate exaggeration! It’s known that half a cup of sun-dried tomatoes will deliver 11mg of the antioxidant and consuming about 20-30mg daily protects us against cancer.