The tomatoes contain the best antioxidants to fight disease

Deep red tomatoes contain lots of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps fight disease. However, in a recent study, a special orange-colored tangerine tomato helps provide another type of lycopene that our bodies easily consume.

Researchers found that eating spaghetti with this tangerine tomato sauce significantly increased this lycopene in the blood.

Steven Schwartz, research director and professor of food and engineering science at Ohio State University, said while red tomatoes contain more lycopene than orange tomatoes, most of them stay difficult form is absorbed well by the body. Study participants consumed less lycopene when they used tangerine tomato sauce, but they absorbed more lycopene than when using red tomato sauce. That was amazing.

The tomatoes used for the study were grown specifically for research, they were not available in grocery stores. Researchers believe that interested people should look for a traditional orange or yellow tomato to replace tangerine tomatoes but note that these are not tested for the type and amount of lycopene they contain. Lycopene belongs to the family of antioxidants called carotenoids, which characterize each type of vegetable. Carotins are very beneficial for health, such as reducing the risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease and degenerative function of the inner eye.

Professor Schwart added that tomatoes are an excellent carotein biosynthetic plant, and scientists are working on ways to increase the amount of antioxidants and other ingredients inside the fruit. These findings were published recently in the journal Agricultural Chemistry and Food.

Lycopene is a carotenoid containing a form of coagulant compound. These isomers have the same chemical formula, but differ in structure. For tomatoes, different isomers have a role in determining color.

Years ago, Schwartz and his colleagues discovered an excess of isomers, also known as one-sided isomers in human blood. However, in most tomatoes or products made from tomatoes, we are rich in 1-sided isomers and 2 opposite faces. Professor Schwartz said we do not know why the human body seems to turn lycopene into a one-sided isomer, or more beneficial isomers. Researchers do not know exactly if one-sided isomers in tomatoes are healthier, but research results indicate that using tomatoes can help increase the amount and absorption of beneficial compounds. health.

Researchers have made spaghetti from two different types of tomatoes, one is a tangerine tomatoes taken by the crust color that contains a lot of one-sided isomers, one of which is a selected tomato containing a lot of beta-carotein. These tomatoes were grown at Ohio State-managed agricultural research stations in northwestern Ohio. After harvest, both types are processed into canned tomato juice and concentrated with a bit of Italian spice on the drink.

There were 12 participants who ate two meals with Spaghetti - one with a tomato sauce, while the other was made from tomatoes containing a large amount of beta-carotein. Participants were asked to avoid tomatoes and carotein-rich foods 13 days before eating a test meal. Researchers took the blood of the testers before they ate and every 1 or 2 hours after 10 hours after the meal. They analyzed the amount of lycopene and beta carotein in blood samples.

Professor Schwartz said the lycopene absorption from tangerine tomatoes is 2.5 times higher than that of high-protein tomatoes or other typical red tomatoes. The level of one-sided isomer of lycopene increased suddenly about 5 hours after eating a sauce from tangerine tomatoes, and during the process of absorbing this one-sided isomer is 200 times larger than the lycopene 2-sided isomers and this kind does not seem to be present.

Currently, only carrots and sweet potatoes are readily available and rich in beta carotein and this is also a major source of vitamin A for the whole world, without it causing serious health problems in many countries. develope.

Professor Schwartz said his research shows that tomatoes can also increase beta carotene levels in the blood, while these special tomatoes are only grown for research, experts say. also commercialized previous tomato varieties.

Professor Schwartz conducted research with Ohio colleagues David Francis, associate professor of crop and garden science; Steven Clinton, associate professor of hematology, cancer and human mobility; Nuray Unlu, a former graduate student in food science and Tosten Bohn, a former postdoctoral fellow in food science in Ohio.

Ohio Agricultural Development Research Center in Wooster, an initiative for future agriculture and the US Department of Agriculture's food system; The Resource Research Center of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute funded the research.

Anh Phuong