Benefits Of Lycopene

The benefits of lycopene include a reduction in the levels of inflammation in our bodies, an improvement in our ability to absorb iron, as well as improvements to our heart health.

Lycopene And Inflammation

Lycopene, along with the other healthy antioxidants in tomato juice, vitamin E and betacarotene, may help reduce inflammation. A study in Italy, at the University of Milan, gave 26 healthy people the tomato juice Lyc-o-Mato. It was a placebo controlled study, meaning for a period of time the participants took a drink that was made to look and taste like Lyc-o-Mato. This was to establish a benchmark for comparing the tomato juice results.

The researchers found that after they drank the tomato juice every day for 26 days, people had lower levels of a substance called TNF-alpha, which is used to measure how much inflammation is in the body. TNF-alpha levels dropped by 34%. In comparison, there were no changes after people took the placebo.

Reducing inflammation in our body is linked with better health. This is especially true when it comes to preventing serious diseases like cardiovascular disease,as it can lead to a hardening in the walls of the arteries.

Lycopene And Iron Absorption

Women who are low in iron can take heart from the news that lycopene helps improve the body's ability to absorb iron from food. Iron absorption can be a problem, even when people are getting plenty or iron in their diet, either through food or supplements.

But a study comparing the effect of adding lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin to a meal at breakfast found that all three antioxidants helped with iron absorption. Lutein and zeaxanthin are both carotenoids also.

The carotenoids were added to the breakfasts one at a time, so their individual effects could be measured. Iron had been added to the flours which were used to make the breakfasts. Both corn at wheat based flours were used in different breakfasts. By using an iron enriched food instead of one naturally containing iron, the study has provided some valuable help for those that need to use an iron supplement. Ferrous fumarate was the type of iron used.

The wheat based breakfast had the most improved result when it came to iron absorption. There was still a good improvement in the corn based breakfast, however. And all of the carotenes had this beneficial effect.

These results also give hope to vegetarians having trouble absorbing iron supplements. Generally, the naturally occurring iron in animal products is absorbed quite well, but synthetic iron in supplements can be a problem. But taking an iron supplement with some tomato juice may yet solve this dilemma!

Lycopene And Heart Health

Tomatoes, which are rich in lycopene, could reduce the risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes.

The researchers in one study discovered that tomato extract prevented a build-up of platelets when measured 3 hours after the tomato extract had been taken. There was an improvement of 21.3% in those people who'd had the equivalent of 6 tomatoes, and 12.7% in those who'd had the equivalent of 3 tomatoes. There were no real improvements in the control group.

A build-up of blood platelets is an issue in the above conditions.