Eating Tomatoes for Better Health

BENEFITS

Tomato consumers should be advised that several independent studies have confirmed health benefits from the consumption of tomatoes. Tomatoes have a red-pigmented antioxidant called lycopene. Lycopene neutralizes free radicals that can damage cells in the body. Several studies have linked diets high in tomatoes with lower risks of cancers, heart disease, atherosclerosis and mascular degeneration. Lycopene may also play a role in reducing blood pressure and high cholesterol. Along with the massive benefits lycopene provide, tomatoes also contain large amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium and Iron, contributing to a balanced and healthy diet.

DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS

There is no recommended dietary allowance or dietary reference intake for lycopene, but studies suggest that about 30 mg daily is beneficial. That's roughly 1-1/2 cups tomato juice or a single serving of fettuccine with tomato sauce (Harder, CNN.com).

FRESH VS. CANNED

You might be wondering about the comparison between fresh and canned tomatoes, well, cooked tomatoes weaken the fruit's cell walls, which make it easier for your body to absorb the lycopene. A 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce is equivalent to as much as five medium raw tomatoes. The lycopene is located in the cell wall of the tomato, so by cooking it, the healing compound is more fully released. Tomatoes don't lose any of their nutritional value in the high heat processing, making canned tomatoes just as viable and beneficial as fresh tomatoes.