Tomatoes

Tomatoes are widely known for their outstanding antioxidant content, including, of course, their oftentimes-rich concentration of lycopene. Researchers have recently found an important connection between lycopene, its antioxidant properties, and bone health. A study was designed in which tomato and other dietary sources of lycopene were removed from the diets of postmenopausal women for a period of 4 weeks, to see what effect lycopene restriction would have on bone health. At the end of 4 weeks, women in the study started to show increased signs of oxidative stress in their bones and unwanted changes in their bone tissue. The study investigators concluded that removal of lycopene containing foods (including tomatoes) from the diet was likely to put women at increased risk of osteoporosis. They also argued for the importance of tomatoes and other lycopene-containing foods in the diet. We don’t always think about antioxidant protection as being important for bone health, but it is, and tomato lycopene (and other tomato antioxidants) may have a special role to play in this area.

Intake of tomatoes has long been linked to heart health. Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, tomato extracts have been shown to help prevent unwanted clumping together (aggregation) of platelet cells in the blood – a factor that is especially important in lowering risk of heart problems like atherosclerosis. (Ina recent South American Study of 26 vegetables, tomatoes and green beans cane out best in their anti-aggregation properties.) But only recently  are researchers beginning to identify some of the more unusual phytonutrients is a glycoside called esculeoside A; another is flavonoid called chalconaringenin; and yet another is a fatty-acid type molecule called 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid. As our knowledge of unique tomato phytonutrients expands, we are likely to learn more about the unique role played by tomatoes in support of heart health. Tomatoes are also likely to rise further and further toward the top of the list as heart healthy foods.

Tomatoes are a treasure of riches when it comes to their antoxidant benefits. In terms of conventional  antioxidants, tomatoes provide an excellent amount of Vitamin C and beta-carotene; a  very good amount  of the mineral manganese; and a good amount of  vitamin E. In terms of phytonutrients, tomatoes are basically off the chart, and include:

Flavonoes

O naringenin

O chalconaringenin

Flavonols

O rutin

O kaempferol

O quercetin

Hydroxycinnamic acids

O caffeic acid

O ferulic acid

O coumaric acid

Crotenoids

O lycopene

O lutein

O zeaxanthin

O beta-carotene

Glycosides

O esculepside A

Fatty acid derivatives

O 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid

Specific antioxidant nutrients found in tomatoes, whole tomato extracts, and overall dietary intake of tomatoes have all been associated with antioxidant protection. Sometimes this protection comes in the form of reduced lipid peroxidation (oxygen damage to fats in cell membranes or in the blood stream).

Sometimes this protection comes in the form of better antioxidant enzyme function (for example, better function of the enzymes catalase or superoxide dismustase). Better antioxidant protection hs also been shown using broad measurements of oxidative stress in different body systems. We’ve seen studies involving tomato and specific antioxidant protection of the bones, liver, kidneys and bloodstream.

Cardiovascular Support

Reduced risk of heart disease is an area of health benefits in which tomatoes truly excel. There are two basic lines of research that have repeatedly linked tomatoes to heart health. The first line of research involves antioxidant support, and the second line of research involves regulation of fats in the blood stream.

Support Bone Health

Bone health is another area of growing interest in tomato research.

Anti-Cancer Benefits

While not well researched for all cancer types . Risk for many cancer types starts out with chronic oxidative stress and chronic unwanted inflammation. For this reason , foods that provide us with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support are often foods that show cancer prevention properties.

The jury verdict here is clear: tomatoes can definitely help lower risk of prostate cancer in men. One key tomato nutrient that has received special focus in prostate cancer prevention is alpha-tomatine.

Along with prostate cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and breast cancer are the two best –studied areas involving tomatoes and breast cancer risk has largely focused on the carotenoid lycopene, and there is fairly well documented risk reduction for breast cancer in association with lycopene intake.

Other Health Benefits

Diets that include tomatoes have been linked with reduced risk of some neurological diseases (including Alzheimer’s disease) in multiple studies. Tomato containing diets have also been linked in a few studies with reduced risk of obesity.

Thanks,

Health-Nov-2012