Lycopene is a carotenoid or an antioxidant pigment that gives fruits and vegetables red, yellow, orange, or pink color. Yellow-orange foods like carrots and squash are high in lycopene, while green vegetables contain lower levels. Lycopene is unique because it's the only carotenoid in human plasma (the liquid part of blood where nutrients are transported).
Lycopene is a red carotenoid pigment
It's found in tomatoes, tomato products, watermelon, and pink grapefruit. Lycopene is an antioxidant that may help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules). Some studies have linked lycopene consumption to lower risks of heart disease, certain cancers, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The antioxidant properties of lycopene may also help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules). Some studies have linked lycopene consumption to lower risks of heart disease, certain cancers, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Lycopene is an important nutrient
Lycopene is a carotenoid--a plant pigment that helps protect against oxidative damage and inflammation. It's found in tomatoes, tomato products, watermelon, and pink grapefruit.
The best sources of lycopene are cooked tomatoes or tomato paste. One study found that people who ate about one tablespoon (15 ml) of cooked tomato sauce daily over two years decreased their risk of dying from heart disease by 45% compared to those who didn't eat any cooked tomatoes.
Lycopene is found in tomatoes, tomato products, watermelon, and pink grapefruit
Lycopene is a carotenoid, which is a type of natural pigment that gives tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables their red color. Lycopene is found in tomatoes and tomato products (such as paste), watermelon, and pink grapefruit. Other fruits and vegetables contain lycopene, too, but in smaller amounts than these foods. Lycopene is good for your Health. It's believed that it may help reduce the risk of developing certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
Lycopene may help prevent heart disease
Oxidation of cholesterol is a key step in plaque formation in arteries. Oxidation is caused by free radicals, which are produced by normal body processes and environmental factors. Free radicals cause damage to cells and DNA, which can lead to cancer or other diseases. Lycopene may help prevent heart disease by preventing the oxidation of cholesterol.
Lycopene may also help prevent cancer. While more research is needed to understand how it works, studies have found that people who eat foods rich in lycopene have a lower risk of certain cancers, including prostate and lung.
Eating lycopene-rich foods may reduce the risk of prostate cancer and other cancers
Lycopene is a carotenoid, which is a plant pigment that gives fruits and vegetables red, orange, or pink color. Lycopene is found in tomatoes (and other red fruits and vegetables), but it can also be synthesized in laboratories to create supplements for use as food additives or dietary supplements.
Lycopene has been shown to have antioxidant properties; antioxidants help prevent cell damage from free radicals. Free radicals are responsible for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Lycopene may also be able to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Men who eat a diet rich in lycopene have lower levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which reduces their risk of developing this type of cancer.
Lycopene helps prevent cell damage from free radicals
Lycopene helps prevent cell damage from free radicals, responsible for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Free radicals are a byproduct of the body's metabolism and can be found in processed foods, tobacco smoke, and sunlight.
Free radicals cause oxidative stress on your cells' DNA structure; this leads to mutations that can lead to cancerous growth in human bodies. Lycopene has been shown to reduce oxidative stress caused by free radicals by absorbing them before they reach your cells' DNA structure so that they cannot cause mutations or other types of cell damage.
Eating foods high in lycopene gives you a delicious meal and improves your Health!
Lycopene is a carotenoid (a type of antioxidant) that gives tomatoes, watermelons, and pink grapefruit their red color. Lycopene may help prevent heart disease and cancer by protecting against free radicals. It also helps keep our bodies healthy by lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. Lycopene-rich foods include:
- Tomatoes (cooked or raw) - 1 cup chopped raw tomato = 5 mg lycopene; 1/2 cup cooked chopped tomato = 9 mg lycopene; one large whole cooked tomato contains about 15 mg of this nutrient
- Watermelon - 1 cup cubed melon with rind (no seeds) = 3 mg lycopene; 1/4 cup cubed melon without rind = 0.5 mg hypocrite
- Pink grapefruit - 1/2 cup cubed melon without rind = 0.5 mg lycopene; 1/2 large whole cooked tomato = 15 mg lycopene
Lycopene is a carotenoid found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables. It's also a powerful antioxidant - one of the most potent ones known to science. Lycopene has been shown to protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and other conditions, such as macular degeneration (which causes blindness).
