Although tomatoes have long been promoted as a possible means to prevent cancer because of their lycopene content, watermelon also is a significant source of lycopene. According to the National Cancer Institute, prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among American men. A low-fat diet, a high intake of fruit and vegetables, selenium, vitamin E and lycopene are all dietary therapies being studied for prostate cancer prevention.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer occurs when cancer cells form in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system found behind the bladder. As men age, their prostate can get bigger, increasing cancer risk. Almost one-fifth of American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, but only 3 percent are expected to die from it, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Lycopene
The most well-known source of lycopene is tomatoes; however, apricots, guava, watermelon, papaya and pink grapefruit also are significant sources of lycopene. Lycopene is a type of carotenoid, pigments that give yellow, red and orange fruits and vegetables their vibrant hue. As an antioxidant, lycopene works to prevent and repair damage caused by free radicals. The promotion of lycopene for cancer prevention came from some studies that found people who ate a diet rich in tomatoes had lower risks of certain cancer, including prostate, according to the American Cancer Society.
Watermelon
Watermelon is a sweet and juicy summertime staple. It's low-calorie too: One cup of diced watermelon contains 46 calories. In addition, one cup supplies 11.5 g of carbohydrates, almost 1 g of protein and minimal fat. Watermelon is full of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, vitamin A and C and beta-carotene. The lycopene content of watermelon is 6,889 mg per one cup. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Service reports that watermelon has 40 percent more lycopene than raw tomatoes.
Research
In a 2005 study, Le Jian and colleagues at the School of Public Health at Curtain University of Technology in Perth, Australia, compared the dietary habits of 130 men diagnosed with prostate cancer with 274 control subjects, men without prostate cancer. Researchers had the men complete the Food Frequency Questionnaire as a tool to assess eating habits. They found that the controls ate a median of 54 g of watermelon per day versus 34.3 g of watermelon per day eaten by the case group. The results suggest that lycopene-rich watermelon along with tomatoes might protect against prostate cancer occurrence. In a 2005 executive summary from the Division of Cancer Prevention of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Edward Giovannuci of Harvard University concluded that there is a moderate inverse relationship with lycopene and prostate cancer in most prospective and plasma-based studies.
Implications
Research is promising that lycopene in fruits such as watermelon and tomato might help prostate cancer prevention. Regardless, a diet full of fruit and vegetables provides essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are beneficial to your health. The American Cancer Society recommends eating a mostly plant-based diet, including eating five or more servings of a variety of fruit and vegetables for optimal health.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Prostate Cancer
- American Cancer Society: Diet and Nutrition
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database: Watermelon
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Service: Watermelon
- "Internation Journal of Cancer"; Do Dietary Lycopene and other Carotenoids Protect Against Prostate Cancer?; Le Jian et al.; October; 2004
- National Cancer Institute: Promises and Perils of Lycopene/Tomato Supplementation and Cancer Prevention: Executive Summary
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