As well as the recommendation to consume more fruits and vegetables, tomatoes are also able to ensure adequate intake of vitamins and minerals that humans need. But not many know about the myriad benefits of tomatoes.
In fact, in a recent national study lycopene in tomatoes is proven to reduce the stroke. And researchers claimed to have found other antioxidants, either alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, alpha tocopherol and retinol that can provide similar effects.
1. Strongest Antioxidant
If you ask someone to describe the health benefits of tomato, a discussion about lycopene is likely to follow.
“In Western countries, 85 percent of dietary lycopene can be attributed to the consumption of tomato-based products”.
Lycopene’s a carotenoid with antioxidant properties that’s responsible for making tomatoes their signature red color. It’s believed to have the strongest antioxidant activity of all the carotenoids.
The deeper the color of your tomato, the higher the lycopene concentration.
Lycopene “may protect our immune cells from destructive free radicals, molecules that can harm cells and damage DNA”, so we keep our defenses strong.
Besides fighting free radicals, lycopene has been linked to:
- Lower cholesterol
- Improved immune function
- Fewer blood clots
- Preventing artery hardening
- Decreased risks of stroke
Now in order to enjoy the benefits of lycopene, you actually have to cook tomatoes or opt for processed versions of tomato such as tomato juice, sauce, and paste.
Normally I’m the king of choosing whole, unprocessed foods, but cooking breaks down the tomato cell walls so our bodies can use all the goodness inside them.
According to research, “cooking tomatoes for two minutes, a quarter-hour, and a half-hour boosts the lycopene levels in tomatoes by 6, 17, and 35 percent, respectively”.
One slice of raw tomato contains around 515 micrograms of lycopene. But two tablespoons of tomato paste contains 13,800 micrograms of lycopene. Big difference!
Just make sure you’re watching the crazy amounts of sugar in ketchups and pre-made pasta sauces. According to Prevention, some sauce “has 12 grams of sugar for every half cup”, which is equivalent to three sugar packets.
2. Prevent Cancer
Researchers from one study noticed that people who enjoyed diets rich in tomato-based products and maintained steady amounts of lycopene, developed pancreatic cancer 31% less than those who had both high and low carotenoid intakes.
John Erdman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of the department of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois, says:
“There’s very good, strong, epidemiological support for increased consumption of tomato products and lower incidence of prostate cancer” as well.
When you combine the lycopene from tomatoes with the beta-carotene found in broccoli, you may in fact reduce your risks of prostate cancer.
According to one study, prostate tumors grew slower in rats eating tomato and broccoli powder than those eating either powder separately. Plus, eating both tomato and broccoli had stronger effects on tumor delay than eating lycopene alone.
So both lycopene and beta-carotene, which you find simultaneously in tomatoes, have proven cancer-fighting effects.
Another study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition, discovered that when younger men consumed beta-carotene-rich diets they were protected from prostate cancer.
Women should also load up on tomato products; studies have shown that high concentrations of carotenoids in tomatoes may protect you against breast cancer.
3. Fight Inflammation
Besides thanking the lycopene in tomatoes for its anti-inflammatory benefits, there are two other inflammation-fighting all stars to take note of.
Quercetin and kaempferol, two main compounds found in flavonoids, which are like super antioxidants, are mega concentrated in tomato skins. These two flavonoids have been studied for their ability to counteract inflammation.
Additionally, a double blind study demonstrated that “drinking a glass of tomato juice a day can reduce blood levels of TNF-alpha by 34 percent”.
TNF-alpha causes inflammation in our body due to chronic, degenerative diseases such as heart disease, major depression, osteoporosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and Alzheimer’s, just to name a few.
When you reduce inflammation, you can make your hormones such as leptin work more efficiently. Leptin aids in weight loss, controls your appetite, and stimulates your metabolism.
5. Improve Your Eye Health
“Vitamin A…helps the surface of the eye, mucous membranes, and skin be effective barriers to bacteria and viruses, reducing the risk of eye infections, respiratory problems, and other infectious diseases”.
Having low levels of vitamin A means your eyes have a hard time detecting light and sending visual information to your brain. This may ultimately lead to blindness.
We’re supposed to get between 700 mcg and 900 mcg of vitamin A every day, depending on gender. Just one cup of cut tomatoes will give you 1,499 IU of vitamin A, or roughly 50% of your DV for men and 64% for women.
But vitamin A’s not the only player in the eye health game.
Lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin have also been shown to prevent macular degeneration – and you can find them all in tomatoes.
“Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids found in the retina and lens of the eye”. They filter light and remove harmful rays that may damage your eye tissue. They also ward off eye related diseases.
Since our body doesn’t create lutein and zeaxanthin, we should consume 12 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin per day from our diets. Good news: one cup of tomatoes will offer up 221 mg!
6. Prevent Heart Disease
You’ll find an abundance of recipes using tomatoes when you start following a Mediterranean diet. And there may be good reason for this (other than being insanely delicious!).
Studies have found that those who follow a Mediterranean diet have lower risks of dying from heart disease because consuming olive oil and tomato-based products has heart healthy perks.
Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, beta-carotene, folate, potassium, vitamin C, flavonoids, and vitamin E that may “protect lipoproteins and vascular cells from oxidation”, which is what causes plaque to build up in your arteries.
Two studies, one conducted on healthy participants and one studying type 2 diabetics, showed that consuming tomatoes and tomato products decreased levels of LDL, or ‘bad’ cholesterol, and reduced blood pressure levels.
7. Enjoy Better Skin
Collagen, the connective tissue in our skin that helps with firmness, suppleness, and constant renewal, is vital for skin elasticity. This is what keeps you looking like you drink from the fountain of youth.
But collagen depends on vitamin C to help it out.
Vitamin C protects our skin from harmful UV rays, sun damage, pollutants, and cell-damaging free radicals. It even helps collagen smooth out wrinkles by improving our skin’s overall texture.
When researchers studied middle-aged women who consumed more vitamin C from food sources, they noticed fewer wrinkles and less dryness in their skin.
These annoying byproducts of getting older led some experts to suggest that “vitamin C might delay the signs of aging due to free radical damage”.
If free radicals harm the health of our skin, and vitamin C protects our skin, is it possible to load up on vitamin C and never see another free radical-causing wrinkle ever again?
I’m crossing my fingers on this one.
To up your vitamin C game, one cup of tomato juice has around 45 mg of vitamin C, or about 74% of your DV.
Don’t forget about my avocado, tomato, cucumber, and white bean salad; it will be the most nutritious and delicious dish at your next potluck, which you’ll need when your friend plops down that huge pot of gooey mac and cheese right next to you.
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