Table 1.

Comparison for the different tongue color's L ^∗,  a ^∗, and  b ^∗ value ($\stackrel{-}{x}\pm s$).

Group	Number (n = 729)	L ∗	a ∗	b ∗
Light red	478	53.31 ± 5.90▲★∗	20.63 ± 3.08▲∗■	7.6 ± 3.93★∗■
Pale	45	56.18 ± 6.06●★∗	16.93 ± 1.75●★∗	8.69 ± 3.48★∗■
Crimson	35	48.07 ± 6.12●▲■	21.08 ± 3.14▲∗■	2.83 ± 3.65●▲∗■
Red	107	48.43 ± 6.57●▲■	24.21 ± 3.43●▲★■	5.32 ±  4.14●▲★■
purplish	63	52.46 ± 6.53★∗	16.47 ± 2.67●★∗	−1.39 ±  4.22●▲★∗

^●Compared with light red tongue p < 0.05.

^★Compared with crimson tongue p < 0.05.

^■Compared with purplish tongue p < 0.05.

^▲Compared with pale tongue p < 0.05.

^∗Compared with red tongue p < 0.05.