The United States Department of Agriculture allows the sale of purple tomatoes. It is said to be much healthier than red tomatoes. It can contribute to the health improvement of all. However, since this tomato is made through genetic engineering, many people wonder if it will have any negative effects on health.
Many people prefer to include tomatoes in their daily diet. Tomatoes are used as an ingredient in various dishes including salads, and sandwiches. There are many nutrients in this vegetable. Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene which helps fight many diseases.
Scientists at the US National Institutes of Health said that tomatoes are a source of antioxidants such as lycopene and anthocyanin, which reduce inflammation in the body. Lycopene is found in tomatoes, papaya and watermelon.
Studies have shown that eating more foods rich in antioxidants reduces the risk of diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Anthocyanins have powerful abilities to fight disease. Researchers have been trying to bring such rich tomatoes to the market since 15 years ago.
That’s why they worked with the genetic code of tomatoes. It has many nutrients like regular tomatoes. Contains the same amount of anthocyanins as blueberries. Purple tomatoes appear to play a significant role in disease prevention.
A study published in Nature Biotechnology in 2008 reported that rats with cancer were fed purple tomatoes. Later results of this study were much more positive.
In 2021, a study found that people consider food produced through genetic engineering to be risky. Researchers believe that media coverage is largely responsible for this. In fact, consumers are being misled by this information.