The answer will not be obvious. Most of us will probably find that red tomato is healthier: because it has more intense colorbecause it has a softer skin… But is it really so? Let’s start from the beginning.
Tomatoes are indeed a treasury of health:
- They consist of 93% water
- They are low in calories – 15kcal/100g
- They contain dietary fiber and organic acids that are beneficial to health
- They are a source of vitamins: A, B1, B2, C, PP, folic acid, minerals: potassium compounds, but also sodium, calcium, iron, copper, phosphorus and magnesium
Extremely important in the composition of the tomato is mentioned by the Lady lycopene. He is responsible for its color, but not only. Lycopene has proven anti-cancer properties, is an antioxidant, and therefore destroys free radicals that cause a number of diseases in the body.
Orange or red?
It turns out that lycopene differs depending on the source in its bioavailability – the trans isomer is less bioavailable than isomer cis. As expected, more lycopene is found in red tomatoes, but it is orange tomatoes that characterize it greater bioavailability (they contain more cis isomer)! During the tests, one group was given a sauce of orange tomatoes, while the other was given a red tomato sauce. It turned out that more lycopene from orange tomatoes was absorbed, although less was actually consumed.
Orange tomato under a magnifying glass
Orange tomatoes differ from red tomatoes not only in color. They have a thicker crust which allows them to pass through longer storage. This does not diminish their taste and aroma. In terms of nutritional value, orange tomatoes rank as high as red tomatoes.
For comparison, per 100g:
Orange tomato
Energy: 16kcal
Protein: 1.2g
Fat: 0.2g
Carbohydrates 3.2 g
roughage 0.9g
Red tomato
Energy: 15kcal
Protein: 0.9g
Fat: 0.2g
Carbohydrates: 3.6g
Fiber: 1.2g
Both red and orange tomatoes are extremely healthy, These vegetables should not be missing from everyone’s diet (apart from a few exceptions, i.e. people with gout, arthritis, heartburn). So please choose any variety, take more care of regularity of consumption.