The yellow is fine, as long as do not be fooled by false myths. "It is not true that eating a lot of carrots and orange juice faster tan is obtained - explains Marco Silano, Director of the Department of Food, Nutrition and the Superior Health Institute of Health - in any case, true that fruits and vegetables yellow and orange counterbalance the negative effects of sun exposure. Under the sun, in fact, the skin is subjected to a strong tension and beta-carotene helps protect it from aging or worse evils, such as skin cancer. "
In addressing the issue of fruit always end up talking about antioxidants. They are very important substances that fight free radicals and, in some cases, also perform anti-tumor functions. According Stefania Ruggeri, researcher and nutritionist Create, fruits and yellow vegetables contain antioxidants not always, as is often heard. "These foods are mainly sources of beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, important for the protection of the skin and eyes." He adds. "If we increase rather than intake of compounds natural antioxidants that the solution is a sauce of red tomatoes to dress our pasta or prepare a bruschetta Lycopene is in fact one of the few compounds, along with vitamin C and vitamin E to really get the antioxidant activities, which have multiplied in the tomato is cooked and if seasoned with a little oil, "which helps absorption. These are the latest scientific evidence. "If often we go to the beach, so it is perfect salad of red and yellow tomatoes seasoned with a little olive oil" extra virgin.
Yellow tomatoes are not cited in the case. -semi Unknown until recently, for some time we are beginning to see more and more often in large retail stores. Weather-Create Monsampolo in the province of Ascoli Piceno, cultivating different varieties of all shades. "The uniqueness of this tomato is that it contains a different form of lycopene called" cis "- explains Emidio Sabatini, researcher Create now - that our body absorbs better raw, while lycopene of red tomatoes is better absorbed after cooking". The, however, it remains the same function: it contains substances that are oxidized in place of cells and plays an important role in preventing some forms of cancer, particularly prostate.
Yellow Tomato is not a semi-green tomato, not to mention a variety born in test tubes. When he came to Europe from South America in the sixteenth century it was just that: yellow. It not by chance is called this way: it was a block whose color resembled the gold. Then what happened? "Probably some natural mutations resulted in a plant with red berries, farmers began to select and plant more and more often" to supplant the yellow parents, still says Sabatini. However, the yellow did not disappear completely, thanks to seed banks and research institutes like creating now.
Monsampolo fields researchers are working on another very special plant: orange cauliflower. "And 'rich in carotenoids, which are added to other important issues such as glucosinolates, rich in sulfur and very strong antioxidant nutritional compounds," Sabatini said. The researcher tells how the orange cauliflower born by chance, in the seventies, in a field of white cauliflower in Canada. A random mutation that scientists have jumped to reach new healthier variety. A Monsampolo, for example, are also working on other types of orange cauliflower.
The color, in short, is important. But no dinners are some more important than others. "Swapping the colors always mean taking vitamins of different groups, but in Italy you eat so little fruit and vegetables that any color is fine as long as it is" consumption is the opinion of Silano, confirmed by the Council Ruggeri: "fruits and yellow vegetables are fine, as long as they go to enrich a wealthy also other diet products and other colors."
Source: http://www.nationalgeographic.it/food/
