Black tomatoes – not for decoration only but great taste too

Do you know which crop, excluding potatoes, is the most cultivated one? Tomatoes of course. Many people cannot imagine their diet without this excellent and tasty vegetable. Yes, that is why there is an incredible number of different cultivars, which differ in shape, size, as well as in colour. Black tomatoes are one of the many examples and they have become a big hit as many small gardeners love them. You probable see black tomatoes in shops only once in a while, or not at all. Where did black tomatoes come from? Why black tomatoes were cultivated and what is the benefit? Keep reading, we shall tell you.

At the beginning there were only wild tomatoes in South America

Black tomatoes are very unusual in Central Europe and were created through the process of breeding and cultivating. Do not worry black tomatoes are not genetically modified organisms – GMOs.

Black Tomatoes: Photo Pixabay 

Which Variety You can Buy in Central Europe?

You can mostly get the Indigo Rose cultivar. It was created using standard breeding methods for tomatoes in Chile and around the Galapagos Islands. The colour is blue-green at first and as they ripen they turn black.

Black Tomatoes: Photo Pixabay 

What was the Reason for the Creation of Black Tomatoes?

You may be wondering why tomatoes with the same growing requirements, and actually with the same taste, were created. The main reason is that they contain a much larger amount of anthocyanins. These are flavonoids that cause the unusual black colour. Anthocyanins are excellent and help greatly with cardiovascular system diseases or senile dementia, they protect the plant during dry seasons and even from harmful UV radiation. Anthocyanins are also found in other black fruits such as blueberries, black currants and other black-coloured fruits. Black tomatoes are also excellent for prostate cancer prevention.

Black tomatoes: Photo Pixabay