Lycopene Benefits and the Other Health Benefits and Properties of Tomatoes

I am feeling very lucky as I write this article. Tomatoes are a favourite food for cooking, and my mouth waters as I think of chilli con carne, various casseroles, curries and other dishes for which I have regularly used canned tomatoes. Plus the sweet fresh tomatoes that go so nicely with a salad. Lucky? Not just because of the versatile culinary uses of tomatoes, but because of the lycopene benefits and other nutrients found in tomatoes.

Another reason for a keen chef, household cook or tomato consumer to feel lucky is the fact that tomato is a rarity, in that cooking may even enhance the nutrient properties. Fresh tomatoes may taste better in one way, but tomatoes do ship very well, without losing their vital nutritional value in transit.  When it comes to their use in cooking, tomatoes also retain their nutritional value during any high heat processing they are exposed to. This means that processed tomatoes, such as tomato sauce, canned tomatoes and stewed tomatoes are all valuable sources of lycopene, antioxidants and other valuable nutrients.

Over recent years, the nutritional value of tomatoes has become very widely known, and lycopene has become a household name. I can recall not so many years ago tomato ketchup being dismissed as fast junk food, but now it has a new healthy image thanks to the lycopene benefit discoveries.

Tomatoes are known to have several important nutrients that can play an important role in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, cataracts and many other common health problems.  These discoveries have transformed tomatoes into a major health food.

The rich red colour that makes tomatoes so valuable to a healthy diet is caused by a substance called lycopene.  This important compound is thought to be a powerful antioxidant, with the ability to neutralize the free radicals that can cause damage to cells.  These free radicals are thought to play a role in the development of cancer, and for this reason, tomatoes are thought to be helpful in the prevention of many kinds of cancer.

Lycopene is not the only important nutrient in tomatoes. They are a good source of vitamin C, and one tomato may provide up to 40% of the RDA for this vital vitamin.

Furthermore, tomatoes contain significant amounts of vitamin A, potassium and iron. 

When you buy fresh tomatoes, it is best to choose the ripest and reddest for immediate eating. That way you get the maximum nutrients and the maximum health benefits, such as from the lycopene. They also are thought to contain the most of beta carotene,which is another another useful nutrient.