7 Healthy Reasons to Grow and Eat Fresh Juicy Tomatoes
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Tomatoes are enjoyed all over the world, blending a wonderful fresh flavor with outstanding nutritional value, for the heart, among other things. Tomatoes contain the powerful antioxidant, lycopene which has been found to help prevent cancer of the prostate, especially when the tomatoes are cooked. Other antioxidants, such as carotene and antrocyanin are found in tomatoes, as well as Vitamin C and potassium.
Tomatoes are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin C. They also pack plenty of the phytochemicals that provide disease prevention benefits. Tomatoes are high in lycopene (a powerful antioxidant) and phenolic compounds. In our diet, 95% of lycopene intake comes from tomatoes and tomato products. It is also found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, papaya and rosehip.
Lycopene is the carotenoid that makes tomatoes red. It appears that lycopene can reduce the risk of certain cancers, the eye disorder age-related macular degeneration, atherosclerosis and sun damage to the skin.
Men who eat two or more servings of tomato products have been shown in tests to average a 35 percent reduction in prostate cancer risk.
Lycopene helps women guard against cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia, (CIN), tumorous tissue growth in the cervix according to research from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Lycopene is a powerful inhibitor of the growth of breast, endometrium (inner lining of the uterus) and lung cancer cells.
Lycopene is better absorbed by the body when it is cooked with some oil. The cooking helps to break down the cell walls of the tomato releasing the lycopene and the oil helps increase its absorption. Japanese scientists found that mixing tomato juice into the drinking water of mice completely prevented them suffering emphysema triggered by tobacco smoke.
Cooking usually diminishes a food’s nutritional value, such as the Vitamin C potency. The processing of tomatoes, however, actually increases the concentration of lycopene. There is four times more bioavailable lycopene in tomato paste then what you will get from fresh tomatoes. Tomato sauce, therefore, is preferred over fresh tomatoes for this benefit. Processed tomatoes in tomato juice, sauce, ketchup and soup contain the highest concentration of lycopene of all tomato products.
To get the most nutritional benefit from your fresh tomatoes, you will want to crush and cook them, then serve them in dishes with a high oil content, such as spaghetti or even pizza. The oils will greatly increase the digestive tract’s ability to assimilate the available nutrition into the bloodstream because lycopene is fat-soluable.
Tomatoes also contain Lutein. Lutein is found in the retina of our eyes so it needed for healthy vision. Lutein also appears to lower the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Lutein may also help to prevent or slow down the thickening of arteries that is called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a major risk for cardiovascular disease.
Tomato products are beneficial in aggressive cancers that have also spread to other parts of the body. Overall, a wonderful food that is easy to grow in your own garden and packs a significant amount of nutritional value into your diet.
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