Sugars and Tomato Flavor

Although it is often believed that the more sugar a tomato has, the tastier it is, the reality is more complex. The quality of the flavor is determined primarily by the balance between sugars, organic acids, and aromatic compounds. That is why two tomatoes with similar Brix levels can taste completely different. The best heirloom varieties often owe their unique flavor precisely to the perfect proportions of these components. A tomato’s flavor is thus the result of the interaction of many compounds, not just a high sugar content.