Best Brand: Mediterranean Organic Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes add bold, smoky flavor to a wide variety of foods – from pizzas and pastas… to salads, soups, sauces and dressings.

And while this flavor-packed ingredient may seem a bit pricey (up to $20/lb), it doesn’t take many to give your favorite dishes more depth and gourmet flavor.

But as is the case with most foods… all sun-dried tomatoes are not created equal.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes… with a Side of Preservatives and Pesticide

In fact, most store-bought sun-dried tomatoes are preserved with sulfites.

Sulfites prevent bacterial growth and also help sun-dried tomatoes keep their red hue by absorbing oxygen.

And while the FDA considers sulfites safe for most people, roughly one in 10 will experience a reaction to sulfites including rashes, hives, itching, restricted breathing, asthma attacks, and, in serious cases, anaphylactic shock.

What’s more, sulfites have been found to worsen a number of conditions including chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome and liver dysfunction, to name a few.

If keeping sulfites off your plate isn’t reason enough to avoid most sun-dried tomatoes, consider this fact:

Nearly every brand of sun-dried tomatoes is made with conventional tomatoes – one of the foods most contaminated with pesticide residues.

In fact, according to the USDA Pesticide Data Program, there are 35 pesticide residues commonly found on conventional tomatoes. Of these:

5 are known or probable carcinogens (linked to cancer)
14 are hormone disruptors (linked to thyroid disorders, diabetes and metabolic issues)
6 are neurotoxins (linked to brain disorders including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s)
3 are reproductive toxins (linked to infertility or birth defects)

The good news is that you can enjoy the delicious, bold flavor and powerful, disease-fighting nutrients of sun-dried tomatoes – without exposing your body to harmful pesticides or preservatives.

The Best Brand of Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Get Rich Tomato Flavor and Powerful Nutrients… Sans Toxins

Using only nature’s preservatives – like sea salt, rosemary and olive oil – Mediterranean Organic Sun-dried Tomatoes pack delicious flavor and provide a potent source of the antioxidant lycopene. In fact, gram-for-gram, sun-dried tomatoes provide more lycopene than any other food! (Sun-dried tomatoes provide 45,902 micrograms per 100g serving, 24,787 micrograms per cup, and 918 micrograms per piece. Compare this to cooked tomatoes, which provide 7,298 micrograms per cup. Raw tomatoes provide 4,631 micrograms per cup. )

Not only does lycopene defend against free radical damage that contributes to the physical signs of aging, it has also been found to:

Reduce the risk of some cancers (including prostate, breast and skin cancers)
Protect against macular degeneration
Guard against heart disease

Look for Mediterranean Organic Sun-Dried Tomatoes at your local health food store or online at Amazon.com.

In addition to enjoying them whole with any number of dishes, try blending one or two with organic extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and herbs for a delicious salad dressing or marinade with superior antioxidant benefits! Here are a few simple and delicious recipe to get you started enjoying Mediterranean Organic Sundried Tomatoes.