Bigger isn’t necessarily better—at least when it comes to tomatoes. According to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE, organic tomatoes are smaller than conventionally-grown tomatoes. But what they lack in size they make up for in nutrients: Organic tomatoes are packed with more vitamins and minerals than their conventionally-grown counterparts.
Researchers from the Federal University of Ceara in Brazil evaluated both organic and conventional tomatoes (from 30 different plants each) at three different stages of maturity: immature, mature, and at harvesting stage. In the final state, they discovered that organic tomatoes contain 55 percent more vitamin C and 139 percent more phenolic content—compounds that may help fight disease. Exactly why this might be the case is unclear. “Conventional farmers use fertilizer and synthetic pesticides and herbicides, whereas organic farmers often rotate the crops, manage the weeds, and use environmentally-generated compounds,” says Lisa Young, PhD, RD, CDN, a nutritionist who was not involved in the study. All of these factors might affect the nutritional outcome of the crops, Young says.
The findings are a great excuse to load up on organic tomatoes the next time you hit the grocery store. Here are plenty of great recipes that’ll help you put them to good use:
Balsamic Tomato and Roasted Pepper Salad
Linguine with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Halibut with Tomatoes and Olives
Marinated Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta
Rustic Tomato and Roasted Corn Pizza
More from WH:
Antioxidants: The 13 Healthiest Foods
How to Boost Your Mood with Food
10 (More) Things You Can Do with Tomatoes
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