Tomato 'clean' protects health very well

Food grown by organic methods (without using fertilizers and pesticides) is not only good for the environment but also beneficial for health. Research by the University of Barcelona (Spain) found that 'natural' tomatoes contain more antioxidants to prevent diseases than those grown by conventional methods.

Scientists analyzed the chemical structure of many tomatoes and identified 34 different beneficial compounds in both organic and regular tomatoes. However, organic tomatoes contain polyphenols - chemical compounds that help plants fight disease and also benefit human health - higher. Polyphenol has an antioxidant effect, prevents the metastasis of some cancers and protects the body from chronic diseases such as arthritis. Not only that, it also helps prevent heart disease through its anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting effects.

Explaining the difference in preventative effects between the two types of tomatoes, scientists think it is related to the way of growing.'Organic farming does not use nitrogen-containing fertilizers so plants react to pathogens by activating their own defense mechanisms, thereby increasing antioxidants' , research leader Anna Vallverdú Queralt said.