These Jet Black Tomatoes May Look Weird but They’re Great for Your Health

The ' Indigo Rose ' is a new , strange - colored variety tomatoes . The fruit is jet black on the outside and juicy purple - red within . The colors may not sound very attractive , but black tomatoes are supposed to be very tasty , and most importantly , rich in antioxidants . Indigo Rose is a cross - breed between red and purple tomatoes , and is the latest ' superfood ' that hit the market .

I'll admit , I never even knew existed purple tomatoes . The modified fruit , bred by scientists in America , contains a special antioxidant called anthocyanin . Anthocyanin is responsible for fighting diseases such as diabetes and obesity , and the main pigment that lends its color purple tomatoes . And when the purple tomatoes mixed with regular red , the resultant black race turns out .

Black tomatoes were first bred by Professor Jim Myers at the University of Oregon , during graduate studies about the health benefits of tomatoes . When they discovered that the purple tomatoes contained anthocyanin , which also gives color to blueberries , they decided to cross it with some wild red before . Eventually , they came up with a black strain .

" This is the first improved tomato different parts of the world with its fruit anthocyanins , " said Prof . Myers . " This ( breeding ) will lead to a better understanding of how to express the antioxidants in tomatoes and may contribute to human health . They ( anthocyanin ) have many different effects on human health , but as they are powerful antioxidants in the test tube , we do not really know if they have an antioxidant effect on the human body , " he added .


Sutton Seeds , a company based out of Devon County , has secured the rights to start selling a new plant for the first time in the UK . Said Assistant product manager Alfie Jackson : " There are some dark tomatoes but Indigo Rose is the only true and the darkest black tomato ever been bred . They are not as sweet as normal tomatoes and have a more palatable taste , and the nice roasted or eaten with salad . "

So why Indigo Rose so different from other dark tomato breed ? According to Myers , all of this gene . " If you want a really , really purple tomatoes may be as black as an eggplant , give Indigo Rose a try , " he said . "Other so-called purple and black tomatoes with green flesh gene , which prevents normal chlorophyll breakdown . "

" People are passionate about their tomatoes , " he added , while commenting on the taste of the black variety . " The purple color is getting their interest and because it is noticeable , people tend to expect wonderful flavor as well . It have a good balance of sugars and acids and tastes like a tomato . Anthocyanins are absolutely no taste . "

During the growth process , the tomatoes start out green and turn black when exposed to sunlight . This is because the anthocyanins get made ​​fruit only when light touch the surface . " If you choose an Indigo Rose and expose the non - purple area in the sun , it will turn purple in about a week , " said Myers .

But he cautioned against planters picking fruit too soon - it needs to ripen fully for the complete development of sugars and acids . State of Oregon , the first ripe date is usually about 91 days after planting . The black tomatoes do give a fairly good yield , and Myers insists that they are not GMO ( genetically modified organisms ) .

Now that Indigo Rose has been successfully launched in the consumer market , Myers and his team were previously thought of their next big project . They intend to target the cherry tomatoes as the next of several new versions Indigo - anthocyanin series . It takes three years to give birth - the new tomatoes are also expected to be black and very high in flavor .