The debate over whether organic produce is really better for you may have just come to a screeching halt. A recent 10-year study out of the University of California found that tomatoes grown organically have 79 to 97 percent more flavonoids than conventionally grown tomatoes. Flavonoids are linked to lower blood pressure, which may help prevent heart disease.

The key seems to be in the fertilizer. Flavonoids are part of a tomato's defense process when it doesn't get enough food. When conventional farmers feed their tomatoes, the flavonoid content goes down. Critics say that just because an organic tomato has more flavonoid doesn't make it healthier. After all, they say, not everyone needs more flavonoids in their diet.

Consumers will be the ultimate judge. What about you? Do you think organic produce is more nutritionally sound or do you think the difference isn't significant enough to matter?

Tomatoes contain a flavorless extract that helps maintain healthy blood flow, reports two new UK studies. Normal blood flow is partially regulated by a component in the blood called platelets. They help wounds heal and prevent bleeding by clotting a cut. As we get older, platelets react to lifestyle factors including alcohol consumption, diet, smoking and stress by becoming sticky. When platelets become sticky, they can form unhealthy blood clots in the blood vessels.

The scientists involved in the study isolated the part of the tomato found to be the most heart healthy and named it FruitFlowTM. The extract is found in the yellow fluid surrounding the tomatoes seeds, and acts as a smoothing agent for platelets-- preventing them from sticking together and thus regulating healthy blood flow. Improvement in blood flow was evident in 97 percent of study participants, from one-and-a-half to three hours after consumption. Shortly after the results of the study concluded, a fruit drink containing FruitFlow was produced called SircoTM. Drinking the extract has faster absorption rates and is more effective than simply eating tomatoes, researchers claim. So far, Sirco is only available in the UK.