1. Tomatoes are Rich in Cancer-Fighting Lycopene
Lycopene is one of the most concentrated carotenoids found in the blood, organs and tissues of the body. The potent antioxidant capabilities of carotenoids neutralizes free radicals, which have long been believed to be risk factors for many age-related degenerative conditions, including heart disease and cancer. Like nutritional Pac-Men, antioxidants gobble up as many free radicals as they can and deactivate them, thereby preventing them from doing further damage.
2. Tomatoes and Men: A Delicious Weapon Against Prostate Cancer
Years of observation have shown that Italian and Greek men who ate a diet rich in tomatoes have a low incidence of prostate cancer. In 1995, Harvard researchers found that men who consumed the greatest amounts of lycopene had a 21 percent decreased risk of prostate cancer compared with those who ate the least. Additionally, they discovered that the men who ate more than 10 servings of tomato-based foods a week had a 35 percent lower risk for prostate cancer than the men who ate less than one and a half servings per week.
3. Tomatoes Provide Solid Defense Against Cervical and Ovarian Cancer
A fascinating study from the International Journal of Cancer found that the 75 percent of women who ate the least amount of tomatoes were three to five times more at risk for pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix than those who ate a lycopene-rich diet. Similarly, other studies have shown that high carotene intake, especially a diet high in lycopene, significantly reduced the risk of ovarian cancer in premenopausal women.
4. Your Body Needs Oil to Enhance Lycopene Absorption
To enjoy all of the cancer-protective benefits of tomatoes, you need to eat 10 servings of cooked tomatoes or tomato products every week. Just be sure to mix the tomatoes in an oil base, such as olive oil, to enhance lycopene absorption. For example, tomato sauce would be a much better source of lycopene than a raw tomato.
5. If You are Overly Acidic, Tomatoes May Be a No-No
As you get older, you may be less able to stomach acidic foods, such as tomatoes. One way to determine if you are not handling acid as well as you used to is to ask yourself if you are susceptible to heartburn and canker sores. Also, do you feel bloated and gassy after drinking sodas or do you experience digestive upset after drinking moderate amounts of alcohol? If you answered yes to at least two of these questions, you may not tolerate the acidic nature of tomatoes. But don't despair because you can still enjoy the health benefits by taking 5 to 10 mg of a lycopene supplement per day.
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