Now that genetically-modified tomatoes are fairly common, the heirloom varieties have become more appealing. Lycopene in tomatoes can reduce heart disease by almost 30 percent and the phytochemical is as powerful as many classes of drugs commonly prescribed for cardiovascular disease. If you’re not already a tomato-lover, here are 10 reasons to start loving them now.
Recent evidence just two ounces of tomato paste or a pint of juice a day could be enough to help many patient avoid dangerous statins the class of drugs commonly prescribed for these conditions which can lead to heart problems. According to Tufts and Boston University researchers, the highest average intakes of lycopene were linked to almost a 30% reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, respectively, according to findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
Ever since industrial agriculture has started producing tomatoes, they have all started looking the same. That's because consumers want the ripest, reddest, roundest tomatoes they can get, and big business makes sure they got it. The question though is what producing genetically identical tomatoes does for the taste and nutritional value. Barry Estabrook, author of "Tomato-land: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit," joins RT's Liz Wahl to discuss the matter.
