Deardorff Family Farms has been promoting the health benefits of its Tasti-Lee brand of tomatoes. In addition to the well-recognized benefits of Vitamin C and potassium, Tasti- Lee tomatoes also contain very high levels of lycopene. Lycopene is actually present in all tomatoes, but studies have shown that the Tasti-Lee variety contains much higher levels than traditional varieties. This is due to both breeding and the way Tasti-Lee tomatoes are grown – outdoors in rich, healthy soil, with fresh air and clean water until they are vine-ripened by natural sunshine.
According to the Mayo Clinic (see www.mayoclinic.com/health/lycopene/NS_patientlycopene), lycopene is a carotenoid that has been identified as an antioxidant with the potential for several health benefits. There have been numerous studies that correlate high intake of lycopene with reduced incidents of both cancer and heart disease. However, these studies have so far not been able to make definitive conclusions on how much lycopene is needed and just how beneficial lycopene may be versus the other vitamins in tomatoes.
A new study was just published to help solve these open questions. On October 9, 2012, Neurology – the most widely read and highly cited peer reviewed neurology journal – published a study that concluded a high serum concentration of lycopene obtained from consuming tomatoes decreases the risk of stroke in men.
The abstract of the study can be found here – www.neurology.org/content/79/15/1540.abstract?sid=f373838f-cf34-4906-86ddba656616ae322
The full text can be found here – www.neurology.org/content/79/15/1540.full?sid=bc92e415-3350-49b2-8a1dd05fl63e34e82
As explained by Tom Deardorff, II – “This study confirms both prior research and conventional wisdom. If you grow a true tomato, outdoors as Mother Nature intended, you are going to get a product with significant health benefits.”
Deardorff Family Farms is the licensed grower and marketer of Tasti-Lee tomatoes for the Western United States.
Source: Deardorff Family Farms
