Read an article from Dr. Leo Galland about all the wonderful benefits of tomatoes- read on!
What’s in a tomato?
Tomatoes are excellent sources of potassium and several vitamins: folic acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E
But did you know that eating tomatoes could possibly help to burn fat? Bioflavonoids, which are concentrated in the tomato skin, may counteract inflammation and allergic reactions.
Tomatoes are good in fighting inflammation. Inflammation is what makes us sick, gain weight, get old, and get diseases. Tomatoes are one of my favorite inflammation-fighting foods. When you reduce inflammation, you can possibly make your weight loss hormones, such as leptin, work properly, allowing you to lose weight.
Leptin plays an important role in appetite control, metabolism and weight loss. It is your body’s natural weight control mechanism.
Tomatoes also contain important anti-inflammatory nutrients called carotenoids and bioflavonoids.
Key tomato carotenoids are:
beta-carotene, an orange pigment also found in carrots and sweet potatoes, an important antioxidant that can help to protect against damage from sunlight. Your body also converts beta-carotene into vitamin A.
lycopene, a red pigment, with demonstrated anti-cancer effects. In Western countries, 85 percent of dietary lycopene can be attributed to the consumption of tomato-based products. phytoene and phytofluene, the newest anti-cancer compounds in tomatoes.
Studies indicate that tomato consumption is associated with a potentially reduced risk of:
ovarian cancer, especially in premenopausal women, digestive tract cancers (mouth, throat, esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum),cardiovascular disease, asthma and chronic lung disease.
Tomatoes And Prostate Cancer
American men who eat at least four servings of tomato products per week have, according to some research, a 40 percent reduction in the risk of prostate cancer.
Studies of men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer found that increasing consumption of tomato products was associated with a marked decrease in cancer progression. In one study, when men with prostate cancer ate three-quarters of a cup of tomato sauce a day, cooked in various dishes, evidence of cancer regression could be detected in only three weeks for the men in the study. One theory as to the benefit for prostate cancer is due to lycopene.
Health Benefits of Tomatoes Boosted by Cooking
The absorption of carotenoids and flavonoids from tomatoes is greater from cooked tomatoes than fresh tomatoes, since cooking breaks down the tomato cell matrix and makes the carotenoids more available.
(source: Abante Online)
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