Be Healthy with Tomatoes

     Choose tomatoes for deep, rich, red color; smooth skin; lack of soft spots or bruises. A ripe tomato will yield slightly to touch and have a sweet fragrance.

• Lycopene, a phytonutrient and red pigment, is a carotenoid that is particularly effective in protecting human tissue from oxygen damage. However, tomatoes’ health value goes beyond their antioxidant capabilities.
• A considerable amount of research conducted with both humans and animals indicate lycopine, especially in the company of other nutrients (including some found in tomatoes themselves) can substantially reduce risk of a variety of cancers including colorectal, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers. As lycopine is fat soluble, tomatoes eaten with fat-rich foods like avocadoes may make the phytonutrient more available.
• Organic tomatoes contain the most lycopine and this particular nutrient is not lost during cooking so products made of organic tomatoes also contain more lycopine. Ketchup made from organic tomatoes is more lycopine-rich than ketchup from non-organic tomatoes.
• Persons with colorectal cancer have lower blood lycopine levels. • Animal research has shown cancer mortality rates for rats fed whole tomato are higher than for rats fed just lycopine.
• Lycopine works with other nutrients both in tomatoes and in other foods to create even more complete protective synergies. Broccoli in particular combines with tomatoes for improved protection, as does green tea.
• Enzymes important to phase II detoxification are triggered by lycopine.
• Other important nutrients and anti-oxidants are also found in tomatoes including carotenoids the body can transform into vitamin A. Tomatoes also contain potassium, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate, all of which perform critical and protective functions.
• Tomatoes protect against heart disease, preventing buildup of atherosclerotic plaque. Research on heart disease in women has shown tomato-rich diets correlating with reduced risk.
• Drinking a glass of tomato juice daily has been linked to a 35% percent reduction of a primary marker of inflammation.
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  Source: World’s Healthiest Food