Next time you pour large amount of ketchup on your food, you can say it’s for the health’s sake. Lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes that keeps its health properties even after cooking and is also ample in ketchup, reduces significantly the risk for different types of cancer and heart disease. Research in recent decades indicates that lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes and red fruits and vegetables, reduces the risk of cancer and heart attacks and helps reduce cholesterol. Lycopene can be consumed as a dietary supplement, but you can get without much effort a respectable amount of lycopene through diet. There is no recommended daily consumption of lycopene, but studies indicate that intake of about 30 mg of lycopene a day was found helpful. This is the amount as in a cup and a half of tomato juice or a serving of spaghetti with tomato sauce. Effective Natural Remedy for Cancer Lycopene is the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their red color and is considered a strong and effective antioxidant. As an antioxidant it helps to repair or prevent damage to cells, and many studies have found that it helps to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. A Harvard study in the mid-90s found that men who consumed at least 10 servings of tomato products per week reduced by 34% the risk of developing prostate cancer. A more recent study found benefits for women: those whose diet was rich in lycopene has reduced by 30-50% the risk of developing breast cancer. Other researchers found that lycopene activates specific genes in our body that reduce the risk of cancer. The same study found lycopene lowers the estrogenic activity in the body and inhibits the development of breast and endometrial cancer. Another study found that consumption of carotenoids (pigments found in plants, including lycopene) significantly protects against the development of colon cancer. Among study participants who consumed high amounts of vegetables was a decrease of 60% of colon cancer. Research of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Florida, published in 2006 presented a variety of natural ingrediends, including lycopene, which may delay or even prevent the development of skin cancer. Effective for the Heart Other studies show that a high consumption of lycopene may reduce the risk of heart disease, atherosclerosis and retinal degeneration. Research of the University of North Carolina found that men whose blood had higher levels of lycopene, had a lower risk of heart attacks than men in the control group. Harvard University study found that women with higher levels of lycopene in their blood, had reduced risk of heart disease. Not Destroyed in Cooking Unlike other components, lycopene is not destroyed in cooking, so you can consume it also through processed foods like ketchup or tomato paste. In fact, you can find more lycopene in cooked tomatoes: ½ cup of tomato sauce contains identical amount of lycopene to that in 5 medium tomatoes. In addition, lycopene dissolves fat, and adding olive oil, for example, will help its absorption in the body. It is important to remember that processed products contain added sugar, salt, fat and sodium, so you should use low sodium, low fat or organic products. Relationship between diet and cancer has been shown in many studies. Click here to read how a healthy diet can prevent cance
Posted on: Wed, 11 Jun 2014 18:46:30 +0000
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