Archive for February, 2009
Tomato Health Benefits
An individual medium tomato consists of 1.05 grams of protein and 1.35 grams of fiber. This compact red fruit contains carotenoids which are one of the most powerful antioxidants. The bright red carotenoid is called lycopene. Lycopene is not yet considered an essential nutrient but is commonly found in almost all diets world wide. Today nutritional scientest from around the world are trying to get lycopene listed as essential to human nutrition.
In a recent research paper the tomato is believed to contain thousands of chemical nutrients most are un-researched. However it has been shown recently that nutrient chemicals work together and it is this synergy that provides the nutrients that cure disease. It was absolutely shown at the University of Illinois that tomatoes and broccoli when eaten together reduces cancer tumors in rats very much more than each of the vegetables alone or lycopene alone. This certainly shows that food cures disease.
This red fruit is not only a provider of antioxidants but has a excellent variety of vitamins and minerals. The mineral content of any vegetable or fruit needs to be used as a guideline. Every plant contains a different amounts of minerals depending on the soil conditions where the fruit/vegetable was grown. Minerals are essential to human metabolism and in fact without minerals in the right balance vitamins will not provide the nutrients they were designed to give the body.
The average tomato contains ten minerals in adequatre amounts plus Vitamins A, C and B6 plus Foliate, and Niacin. If possible eat organic tomatoes because they have been shown to contain as much as 40% more nutrients per gram.
<B>Research Shows The Tomato Has These Health Benefits </B>
• Helps prevent lung disease
• High levels of lycopene lower colon risk
• Reduces the risk of prostate cancer
• Combined with green tea may prevent prostate cancer
• Reduces significantly pancreatic cancer risk
• Activates phase II enzymes, a big cancer preventative
• Significant antioxidant power
• Reduces cardiovascular disease risk
• Improves total cholesterol
• Improves LDL levels reduces oxidation damage
• Tomato juice reduces blood clotting
• The juice reduces platelet aggregation
• Reduces diabetes type II risk
• Is anti inflammatory
