Lycopene - what is it? TOP products, useful properties

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Lycopene - what is it? TOP products, useful properties
Lycopene - what is it? TOP products, useful properties
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What is lycopene?

Lycopene is a red pigment that breaks down fats. Found mainly in tomatoes. Lycopene belongs to a family of pigments called carotenoids. In turn, carotenoids are a natural pigment responsible for the bright color of autumn leaves, fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables. The color of fruits and vegetables ranges from bright yellow (some varieties of pumpkin), to orange (pumpkin and carrots), and red (tomatoes and peppers).

Recommended daily requirement for lycopene is 5-7.5 mg.

Lycopene is an antioxidant

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Modern researchers have studied lycopene quite thoroughly. Lycopene has antioxidant properties. Numerous studies have shown that a diet rich in lycopene can reduce the risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease.

At Harvard University in the mid-1990s, studies were conducted during which they found that out of 50,000 men who ate tomatoes 10 or more times a week (it is in tomatoes that are high in lycopene), the risk of prostate cancer decreased in in some cases by 34%. Antioxidants help fight cancer, protect cells from free radical damage, thereby slowing down the aging process.

Antioxidants fight free radicals that are produced when our cells convert oxygen into energy. Antioxidants can keep the immune system he althy, while reducing the risk of certain forms of cancer and other diseases. Vitamins such as vitamin C, E, beta-carotene and lycopene, and some other vitamins, are effective antioxidants.

In addition, antioxidants have been shown to have beneficial effects on heart disease. Recent studies have shown that men who had a high concentration of lycopene in their bodies had a 50% lower risk of a heart attack, compared to those who had low levels. As the researchers suggest, the content of lycopene in the body directly depends on its amount in the diet.

Properties of lycopene

Lycopene helps normalize cholesterol metabolism, activates the digestion process. Lycopene normalizes appetite, suppresses pathogenic intestinal microflora, prevents the development of atherosclerosis, maintains normal acid-base balance, promotes weight loss. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and capillaries, has a beneficial effect on the skin of the face, nourishes and rejuvenates, especially dry, wrinkled and pigmented skin. As a prophylactic against various liver disorders.

Since lycopene is a powerful antioxidant, it is able to destroy free radicals - such reactive molecules that destroy cell membranes, attack DNA, and thereby cause various diseases. Studies have shown that patients with HIV infection, colds, and high cholesterol levels (with and without fat-lowering therapy) may have low blood levels of lycopene. The content of lycopene in the blood is not always reduced due to tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, unlike other carotenoids. This is affected by the aging process.

Some studies have shown that a lycopene diet reduces the risk of a number of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and age-related macular degeneration. As an antioxidant, lycopene prevents the oxidation of low-level lipoprotein, that is, bad cholesterol, which leads to atherosclerosis (reduced arterial patency) and coronary artery disease.

As the level of lycopene increases, the level of oxidized lipoprotein, protein and DNA components decreases, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. From this we can conclude that people with high levels of lycopene, the risk of heart disease is half that of people with low levels of lycopene. Again, there is a direct link between lycopene intake and a reduced risk of prostate and stomach cancer. In the notes on these diseases, lycopene was the only carotenoid that contributed to the reduction in the risk of these diseases.

Clinical studies conducted at the end of 2001 on prostate cancer showed that the use of lycopene significantly reduces the rate of growth of cancer cells. This method reduced the spread of cancer cells by about 73%.

If you eat tomatoes at least twice a week, you can reduce the risk of cancer by 34%. At least that's what the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute says. Of the 46 fruits and vegetables in the study, only tomatoes were shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. In addition, there is some medical evidence that proves that regular consumption of lycopene-rich tomatoes reduces the risk of gastrointestinal cancer.

Foods containing lycopene

Products containing lycopene
Products containing lycopene

Since the human body does not produce lycopene itself, it must be administered with food.

Lycopene is found in foods such as:

  • Spaghetti sauce
  • Tomato juice
  • Ketchup
  • Pizza sauce

Record holders among fruits and vegetables for lycopene content are:

  • Red Tomatoes (one tomato contains an average of 1.5mg of lycopene)
  • Watermelon
  • Red pepper
  • Pink grapefruit
  • Any other red vegetables. Fruit also contains lycopene, but in smaller amounts.

Most of all lycopene in tomato paste, just 1 tablespoon fully satisfies the daily requirement for lycopene. Tomato paste contains 30 times more lycopene than fresh tomatoes and 6 times more than ketchup.

Despite the fact that the main source of lycopene for humans is tomatoes or products made from them, the bioavailability of this enzyme is quite different. When preparing the sauce, the tomatoes are stewed in oil, while the absorption of lycopene increases, since this enzyme dissolves in fat. When tomatoes are heated, the chemical formula of lycopene changes into a different form, which is much easier for the body to digest. As one study showed, lycopene from tomato paste is absorbed 2.5 times faster than fresh vegetables.

Despite the fact that there are no specific nutritional recommendations, according to research, drinking two cups (approximately 540 ml.) of tomato juice per day, a person receives approximately 40 milligrams of lycopene. This amount is enough to significantly reduce the oxidation of bad cholesterol, according to studies regarding daily human nutrition.

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