By Dr. Mercola
Lycopene, a carotenoid antioxidant that gives fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and watermelon a pink or red color, is one nutrient you should be sure you're getting enough of.
Lycopene's antioxidant activity has long been suggested to be more powerful than that of other carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, and now researchers have revealed that it may significantly reduce your stroke risk (while other antioxidants did not). >
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Lycopene, a carotenoid antioxidant that gives fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and watermelon a pink or red color, is one nutrient you should be sure you're getting enough of.
ReplyDeleteA new analysis followed over 1,000 men in their mid-40s to mid-50s for more than 12 years. After controlling for other stroke risk factors, such as older age and diabetes, they found that men with the highest blood levels of lycopene were 55 percent less likely to have a stroke than those with the lowest.
ReplyDeleteTomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, but this is one instance when cooking the tomatoes may, in fact, be better than eating them raw.
ReplyDeleteResearch shows that cooked tomatoes (such as in tomato sauce or tomato paste) not only increases the lycopene content that can be absorbed by your body, but also increases the total antioxidant activity.
ReplyDeleteIn one study, when tomatoes were heated to just over 190 degrees F (88 degrees C) for two minutes, 15 minutes and 30 minutes:3
1. Beneficial trans-lycopene content increased by 54, 171 and 164 percent, respectively
2. Levels of cis -lycopene (which is a form easily absorbed by your body) rose by 6, 17 and 35 percent, respectively
3. Overall antioxidant levels increased by 28, 34 and 62 percent, respectively
Lycopene is a fat-soluble nutrient, which means eating it with some dietary fat is essential in order for it to be properly absorbed.
ReplyDeleteSo a slow-cooked tomato sauce that contains olive oil or another source of healthy fat, such as grass-fed beef, may be an ideal source.
ReplyDeleteOne caveat: when making your tomato sauce, start out with fresh tomatoes, as canned tomatoes typically have a lining that contains bisphenol-A (BPA) which exhibits hormone-like properties that have been linked to many illnesses.
ReplyDeleteFood Fact: Strawberries are rich in dietary fiber and manganese, and contain more vitamin C than any other berry. Among strawberries’ antioxidants are anthocynanins and ellagic acid, a phytochemical that has been shown to fight carcinogens. Antioxidant compounds found in strawberries may also prevent the oxidation of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and may help fight the development of heart disease. Strawberries are also high in folic acid, dietary fiber and potassium.
ReplyDeleteGood sources of antioxidants include blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, beans, and artichokes. Many may also benefit by adding supplemental astaxanthin as a profoundly potent antioxidant.
ReplyDeleteDr. Joseph Mercola