What antioxidant primarily colors conventional garden red tomatoes?
Answer
Lycopene
The familiar, standard red coloring characteristic of conventional garden tomatoes is principally derived from lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful carotenoid antioxidant that has been the subject of extensive research, largely due to its established roles in promoting eye health and potentially reducing the risk of certain types of cancers. Although purple tomatoes also contain lycopene, the primary visual differentiator from red tomatoes is the presence of anthocyanins. Therefore, when discussing the source of the basic red color, lycopene is the key compound responsible for that specific pigmentation in the non-purple varieties.
Related Questions
What pigment causes the deep purple hue in certain tomato varieties?What antioxidant primarily colors conventional garden red tomatoes?What health advantages are associated with the potent anthocyanin pigments?Where is the highest concentration of beneficial compounds generally found in purple tomatoes?Which specific anthocyanin noted for its biological activity is abundant in purple tomato skin?Besides anthocyanins, what nutrient found in red tomatoes do purple varieties also contain?How should purple tomatoes ideally be prepared to maximize intake of anthocyanins?Which specific purple tomato variety has been made available to the public sphere for cultivation?What two primary development methods account for the origins of available purple tomatoes?What does the visual difference between purple and red tomatoes directly indicate about their composition?