Multivitamins and Nutrition » tomato http://www.labyellow.org Complete Guide of Best Multivitamins and Nutrition for Healthy Life Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:05:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Red Tomatoes and Lycopene http://www.labyellow.org/red-tomatoes-and-lycopene.htm http://www.labyellow.org/red-tomatoes-and-lycopene.htm#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:00:46 +0000 mzPOTTER http://www.labyellow.org/?p=82 tomatoesUnlike other carotenoids, only lycopene found in only a small number of plants, primarily red fruits and vegetables. The tomato products (juice, ketchup, tomato sauce, soup) are sources of lycopene per excellence. The raw tomatoes are our main source of lycopene intake. They are followed by canned tomatoes, sauces and pizzas.

Cooking it goes

Chemically, lycopene exists in two forms called “cis” and “trans”. When you eat tomatoes, they ingest the trans form predominates in plants. However, it is poorly absorbed by the body prefers the cis form. The good news is that cooking tomatoes promotes transformation into cis form.

Also, products of processed tomatoes (sauce and mashed) deliver more lycopene in our bodies than raw tomatoes. The presence of fat (the typical pizza and tomato sauce with cheese and cooking oil), as well as the dose consumed and the presence of other carotenoids like beta-carotene (found in the tomato and carrot, which often added to tomato sauce or tomato soup) increase even further the absorption of lycopene in the intestine.

In practice a daily consumption of one serving of tomato seems sufficient to obtain protection from lycopene.

Cancer and heart attack

Numerous epidemiological studies are in favor of a protective effect of tomatoes against cancer and this knowledge has existed for over 20 years. Products tomato, if consumed regularly, appear to reduce overall mortality from cancer. But the greatest impact is measured on the prostate, lung and stomach.

For cardiovascular disease, lycopene is an interesting candidate, although studies on the subject are less numerous. Other studies indicate a significant impact of lycopene on the eyes, especially in prevention of cataracts and macular degeneration related to age (the leading cause of blindness in the world). Finally, some studies highlight the valuable role of lycopene on the skin, which explains its presence particularly in food supplements beauty of the moment.

Lycopene does not explain everything

Lycopene is the carotenoid that gives color to the bright red tomato. The tomato products and tomato are the main sources of lycopene, providing 85% of caroenoid. This compound exerts a significant antioxidant action and other functions in organisme13. He is credited among other cholesterol-lowering effects and anti-inflammatory as well as the ability to prevent proliferation of certain cell types cancer. Thus, high concentrations of lycopene in the blood were associated with lower incidence of certain chronic diseases, such cardiovasculaire disease and cancer prostate. Although current data are insufficient to recommend a daily intake of lycopene, epidemiological studies and intervention indicate that consumption of more than 6 mg of lycopene per day could result in adverse beneficial.

Summarize the virtues of the tomato lycopene alone, however, is very simplistic. In fact, lycopene is one of many active substances of the tomato may act synergistically. There are many carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, phytoene …) and polyphenols, other powerful antioxidants such as flavonols, quercetin and kaempferol. Tomato deserves its coveted status of favorite fruit.

]]> http://www.labyellow.org/red-tomatoes-and-lycopene.htm/feed 0