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TOMATOES

The smallest species of tomatoes are less than three-quarters of an inch in diameter. There are both red and yellow varieties.

The South Arkansas vine ripe pink tomato is Arkansas' official state vegetable.

California accounted for 95% of processed tomato production in 2006. Florida and California combined accounted for 68% of total U.S. tomato production in the same year.

Tomato juice is the official state beverage of Ohio.

There are at least 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.

China is the largest producer of tomatoes in the world, producing over 16% of all tomatoes.

The highest concentration of vitamin C in tomatoes is in the jelly-like substance around the seeds.

The first tomato plants were planted in Greece by a Friar Francis in 1818, in the gardens of a Capuchin monastery at the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates (built in 335 B.C.) in Athens.

Tomatoes are a natural source of the antioxidant 'lycopene', which may help prevent heart disease. According to scientists, more lycopene is absorbed by the body from cooked tomatoes than from fresh tomatoes. 1/2 cup of canned tomatoes delivers more than 3 times the lycopene as found in one medium raw tomato.

The key ingredient in 78% of Americans favorite recipes is tomatoes.