Special Diet Information

Coumadin® (Warfarin)
This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.

Lactose
This recipe is safe for those who are lactose intolerant.

Sodium
This is a low sodium recipe.

GERD / Acid Reflux
No specific GERD triggers.

Gluten Sensitivity
This recipe is safe for those who are sensitive to gluten.

"That's a speecy, spicy sauce..."
-1970s Alka Seltzer television commercial

The refrigerator light goes on...

There is a lot of information on the Internet about reducing acid in tomato sauce. I couldn't substantiate any of it. For instance, one site said to remove the seeds and skin, but my tests showed no change in acidity. There was a case for cooking tomatoes for a short time, cooking them for a long time, using overripe and under-ripe tomatoes. The only way to make the sauce acid neutral is to use just a little bit of baking soda. Too much and it will taste soapy. Notice that there is no need to add salt – there's enough in the baking soda.

Lycopene Research

Lycopene is the antioxidant chemical that is the major red pigment in fruits and vegetables. In a recent study of over 45,000 men, researchers at Harvard University found that eating foods containing high amounts of lycopene reduced the risk of prostate cancer by about 35%. There are also studies that show lycopenes have a beneficial effect on LDL (bad cholesterol) but none that prove a correlation between eating foods high in lycopenes and a lowered risk of heart disease.

Tomatoes are one of the best sources of lycopenes and cooking them helps release the antioxidant. A medium tomato has about 3.5 mg of lycopene while tomato sauce almost 20 mg in a half a cup and tomato soup about 25 mg in a cup. Other fruits and vegetables that have red pigment like watermelon and grapefruit are good sources of lycopene as well.

There is so much discussion about antioxidants and here's another one that may have some benefit. The bottom line is that eating good food is good for you.