Blue Tomatoes

Blue tomatoes, sometimes referred to as purple tomatoes, are tomatoes that have been bred to produce high levels of anthocyanins, a class of pigments responsible for the blue and purple colors of many fruits, including blueberries, blackberries, and chokeberries. A blue tomato is a variety of tomatoes that ripens to a dark bluish color. Blue tomatoes come in a range of hues, including dark blue, black blue, purple-blue, and dark indigo (somewhere between blue and violet). Some blue tomatoes have flesh and skin that are both dark blue, while others have dark bluish skin but flesh that is red or reddish-purple.

Blue tomatoes that are perfectly ripe and have received sufficient water, heat and direct sunlight should taste absolutely delicious: rich and earthy, with a sweet, flavorful, slightly acidic taste. Blue tomatoes are slightly more astringent than red tomatoes as a result of their high content of anthocyanin antioxidants. They are grown to be rich in anthocyanins while retaining high amounts of other beneficial plant compounds that have been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and prostate cancer.