The secret is bright red, not green or yellow tomatoes.
It’s red, round, juicy, photogenic, thus quite popular. And now it can help us prevent health issues, even heart attacks.
By Emilia Klapp
The traditional Mediterranean diet, rich in tomatoes, tomato products, and other carotenoids has been associated with a lower incidence of chronic heart disease. Recent scientific studies have shown that people who eat tomatoes regularly are less likely to suffer from heart attacks than those who don’t make tomatoes part of their diet. Why? Because tomatoes contain lycopene. Lycopene has been identified as the responsible substance for the antioxidant effects of tomatoes in many studies including a recent research that suggests that consumption of tomato products prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, the “bad” guy. Oxidized cholesterol is considered the primary initial step leading to the formation of plaque in the arteries and consequently to heart attacks.
Lycopene can also reduce the amount of cholesterol in your blood. During one study, for three months, 60 men were fed 60 milligrams of lycopene per day—the equivalent found in 1 kilo of tomatoes. At the end of the treatment period, the results showed a 14 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol in the blood.
How to Increase Absorption of Lycopene
An important consideration in studying lycopene is its absorption by our cells. Our tissues have to gulp lycopene from the food we eat and get it inside our cells before they can put it to some use. Research has shown that the level of lycopene found in our organs’ tissues is a better indicator of disease prevention than the amount of lycopene we eat. Individuals who have a high concentration of lycopene in their tissues have a lower risk of heart attacks than those who have a low level.
Cooking with lycopene as the main ingredient
1. Process the tomatoes with heat. Heat changes the chemical structure of lycopene and makes it ready for our cells to swallow it up. Some examples include tomato sauce, tomato paste, or tomato soup.
2. Eat fresh tomatoes with fats such as olive oil.
3. Eat products that contain lycopene with other food antioxidants.
An example would be eating tomatoes with other vegetables such as in salads or eating a piece of fruit for dessert. Use olive oil and lemon juice as dressing, and you will have the perfect combination of lycopene and antioxidants.
7 Ways to Include More Tomatoes in Your Diet
• Make it a point to always have tomatoes at home. Bright red, ripe tomatoes have more lycopene than green or yellow.
• Always include tomatoes in your salads. Use olive oil and lemon or vinegar as dressing.
• Eat pasta with tomato sauce.
• Add some tomato slices to your sandwich.
• Rub half a tomato on the bread you eat with your meal.
• Always keep “no salt added” canned tomatoes on hand. They are very handy when you are in a hurry and need them for soups or sauces. One of my favorite brands is Muir Glen Organic, “no salt added” of course.
• Whenever possible, visit your local farmers’ market and look for locally grown tomatoes.
