Organic Dried Tomato Slices (Salted), 7oz - Divine Organics

Savory & Succulent

Seven pounds of ripe fruits are needed to produce one pound of our delicious sun dried tomatoes. They have the same nutritional value as the fresh ones: high in Lycopene (for a healthy heart), antioxidants, vitamin C (40% of daily requirement), Iron, no cholesterol, no fat and are low in calories.

Today, sun dried tomatoes are one of the most exquisite gourmet ingredients, adding their burst of flavor and aroma to Mediterranean and Raw food creations, salsa, dressings and toppings. Sun dried tomatoes may be soaked and rinsed before use.

STORE IN A COOL DARK PLAC These are DELICIOUS. A bit salty by themselves, but after soaking they are tempered and then the SOAK JUICE is also utilizable and could act as a salting agent as well.

There are few vegetables that better mark the summer months than the sweet juiciness of a vine-ripened tomato. Although tomatoes are now available year-round, the truly wonderful qualities of tomatoes are the best when they are in season from July through September.

Tomatoes have fleshy internal segments filled with slippery seeds surrounded by a watery matrix. They can be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or brown in color. Although tomatoes are fruits in a botanical sense, they don't have the dessert quality sweetness of other fruits. Instead they have a subtle sweetness that is complemented by a slightly bitter and acidic taste. Dehydrating tempers the acid and bitter qualities in tomatoes and brings out their warm, rich, sweetness.

Antioxidant Benefits of Lycopene

In the area of food and phytonutrient research, nothing has been hotter in the last several years than studies on the lycopene in tomatoes. This carotenoid found in tomatoes (and everything made from them) has been extensively studied for its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. The antioxidant function of lycopene its ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage"has been linked in human research to the protection of DNA (our genetic material) inside of white blood cells. Prevention of heart disease has been shown to be another antioxidant role played by lycopene.

In contrast to many other food phytonutrients, whose effects have only been studied in animals, lycopene from tomatoes has been repeatedly studied in humans and found to be protective against a growing list of cancers. These cancers now include colorectal, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers. While lycopene may play an important role in tomatoes' health benefits, it seems that it is not the only nutritional star integral for giving this food a red-hot reputation for health promotion; recent research discussed below in the section "Protection Due to Synergy of Tomato's Nutrients, Not Just Lycopene" describes how scientists are finding out that it is the array of nutrients included in tomatoes, including, but not limited to lycopene, that confers it with so much health value. All the while, it's still important to understand the many benefits that lycopene provides.

Colon Health

A study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that in patients with colorectal adenomas, a type of polyp that is the precursor for most colorectal cancers, blood levels of lycopene were 35% lower compared to study subjects with no polyps. Blood levels of beta-carotene also tended to be 25.5% lower, although according to researchers, this difference was not significant. In their final (multiple logistic regression) analysis, only low levels of plasma lycopene (less than 70 micro-gram per liter) and smoking increased the likelihood of colorectal adenomas, but the increase in risk was quite substantial: low levels of lycopene increased risk by 230% and smoking by 302%.

Prostate Health

Tomatoes have been shown to be helpful in reducing the risk of prostate cancer.

A 14-month study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute underscores the importance of a healthy whole foods diet rich in tomatoes in the prevention of prostate cancer. In this study, laboratory animals fed a lycopene-rich diet and treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (a carcinogen) and testosterone to induce prostate cancer had a similar risk of death from prostate cancer as rats fed a control diet. In contrast, animals fed whole tomato powder were 26% less likely to die of prostate cancer. By the end of the study, 80% of the control group and 72% of the animals fed lycopene had succumbed to prostate cancer, while only 62% of the animals fed whole tomato powder had died.

In addition to the controls and those animals receiving lycopene or tomato powder, each group was also divided into two sub-groups, one of which was given 20% less food than the other sub-group. Animals on the energy-restricted, tomato-based diet fared best of all, showing a 32% drop in their risk of dying from prostate cancer.

Helping You Bone Up

Tomatoes are a very good source of vitamin K. The 17.8% of the daily value for vitamin K that is found in one cup of raw tomato is important for maintaining bone health. Vitamin K1 activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein in bone. Osteocalcin anchors calcium molecules inside of the bone. Therefore, without enough vitamin K1, osteocalcin levels are inadequate, and bone mineralization is impaired.

Sun dried tomatoes contain virtually no fat and no cholesterol, and naturally low in calories.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which may help protect against diseases such as cancer and heart disease

The lycopene in cooked tomatoes is easier to absorb than in fresh tomatoes.

Sun dried tomatoes are a natural source of vitamins c and a good source of iron. One medium sun-dried tomato can provide 40% of your daily requirement of vitamin c

A diet rich in tomato-based foods has been linked to a decreased risk of prostate cancer.

Sun-dried tomatoes are: low in fat, calories & sodium, and free from saturated fat & cholesterol

They are also: high in vitamin a & c, and a good source of potassium.

Scientists have identified two cancer-fighting substances in tomatoes.

Historically, Asians have used tomatoes to remedy ailments from asthma to cancer.

Sun-dried tomatoes are lipophilic, which means their nutritional value is increased by being cooked with some fat, like olive oil.

Sun-dried tomatoes are rich in vitamins and fiber.

For many years tomatoes were considered poisonous and were grown solely for their ornamental value. E.



* These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.