Tomatoes Orange $ Red

Usually, the deeper the color, the healthier the fruit or vegetable. But it appears that there are exceptions.

Deep red tomatoes get their color from lycopene, a disease-fighting antioxidant. But a new study discovered that a special variety of orange-colored tomatoes called Tangerine tomatoes provides a different form of lycopene that our bodies can use more readily.

"While red tomatoes contain far more lycopene than orange tomatoes, most of it is in a form the body does not absorb well," said Steven Schwartz, the study's lead author and a professor of food science at Ohio State University.

The researchers have not tested other varieties of orange tomatoes, so they don't know if the advantage applies to them as well. But they suggested that, given this result, it probably makes sense to seek out any variety of orange and gold-colored heirloom tomatoes you can find (or grow).

I would add that if you can't find orange tomatoes, keep eating the red ones - some lycopene is better than none!