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| Tomato |
Lycopene is a carotene and carotenoid pigment and is bright red in colour. It is also a phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables, such as red carrots, red bell peppers, watermelons, pink grapefruits, apricots, pink guavas and papayas (but not strawberries or cherries). Although lycopene is chemically a carotene, it does not convert to vitamin A at all, unlike other carotenoids. Dietary intakes of tomatoes and tomato products containing lycopene have been shown to be associated with decreased risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases in several recent studies. Free radicals in the blood oxidise the LDL (bad cholesterol. This oxidation process is retarded by lycopene. Serum and tissue lycopene levels have also been inversely related with the risk of these diseases. American Cancer Society states that several scientific studies conducted have not reached any common conclusion. This requires more research.
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| Tomatoes |
Due to its non-toxicity and strong colour, lycopene is used as a food colouring (registered as E160d) and is approved for use in many countries of the world.
Lycopene is not an essential nutrient for humans, but is commonly found in the diet, mainly from tomato based dishes. Lycopene after absorption in the stomach is transported in the blood by various lipoproteins and stored in the liver, adrenal glands, and testes.
There is a converse correlation between eating of tomatoes and cancer risk, and because of it lycopene has been claimed to prevent of some types of cancers, particularly prostate cancer. There is not enough research evidence to support this claim.
For prostrate cancer a daily dosage of 30 mg of lycopene is usually recommended. As a supplement 10 mg per day would be sufficient.
Lycopene has been proven to help protect skin from damage from the sun by neutralising the harmful effects of Ultra Violet light. Lycopene based supplements are good for smoother, less-wrinkled skin.
Consuming tomato in the form of paste, puree or sauce makes it more absorbale than in raw form. It also may be heated in olive oil would make it easier to assimilate
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LYCOPENE
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