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Large amounts of lycopene in tomatoes are linked to prostate cancer prevention, among other benefits

Edited and resized image of Rezel Apaeado, is available Unsplash

Tomato is a fruit native to South America that can be found in different varieties (as in the image above). scientific name solanum lycopersicumTomato is the main source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reducing heart disease and cancer.

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Nutritional information

Although each tomato can vary its nutritional content according to growing methods or variety, in general, the water content of tomatoes is around 95%. The other 5% consists mainly of carbohydrates and fiber.

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A small raw tomato (100 grams) can provide:

• Calories: 18
• Water: 95%
• Protein: 0.9 grams
• Carbohydrates: 3.9 grams
• Sugar: 2.6 grams
• Fiber: 1.2 grams
• Fats: 0.2 grams

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates comprise 4% of the composition of raw tomatoes, which equates to less than 5 grams of carbohydrates for an average sample (123 grams). Simple sugars such as glucose and fructose account for almost 70% of the carbohydrate content.

Fiber

Tomatoes are a good source of fiber, providing about 1.5 grams per medium-sized tomato. Most fibers (87%) in tomato are insoluble, in the form of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin (see study about it here: 2).

Vitamins and minerals

Tomatoes are a good source of several vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin C. This vitamin is an essential nutrient and antioxidant. A medium-sized tomato can provide about 28% of the reference daily intake (RDI);
• Potassium. An essential mineral, potassium is beneficial for blood pressure control and heart disease prevention (3);
• Vitamin K1. Also known as phylloquinone, vitamin K is important for blood clotting and bone health (4,5);
• Folate (vitamin B9). One of the B-complex vitamins, folate is important for normal tissue growth and cell function. It is particularly important for pregnant women (6, 7).

Other plant compounds

The content of vitamins and vegetable compounds in tomatoes can vary widely between varieties and sampling periods (8, 9 and 10).

The main vegetable compounds of tomatoes are:

• Lycopene. A red pigment and antioxidant, lycopene has been extensively studied for its beneficial health effects (11);
• Beta-carotene. An antioxidant that often gives foods a yellow or orange hue, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A;
• Naringenin. Found in tomato peel, this flavonoid has been shown to decrease inflammation and protect against various diseases in rats (12);
• Chlorogenic acid. A powerful antioxidant compound, chlorogenic acid can lower blood pressure in people with high levels (13, 14).

Chlorophylls and carotenoids such as lycopene are responsible for the color of tomatoes. When the ripening process begins, chlorophyll (green) is degraded and carotenoids (red) are synthesized (15, 16).

Lycopene

Lycopene - the most abundant carotenoid in ripe tomatoes - is particularly noteworthy when it comes to plant compounds, being found in higher concentrations in the skin (17, 18).

Generally, the redder the tomato, the more lycopene it has (19).

Tomato products - such as ketchup and tomato sauce - are the richest sources of lycopene in the Western diet (20, 21). The amount of lycopene in processed tomato products is generally much higher than in fresh tomatoes (22, 23).

Ketchup has 10 to 14 mg of lycopene every 100 grams, while a small, fresh 100 gram tomato contains only 1 to 8 mg (24).

However, keep in mind that ketchup is usually consumed in very small amounts. Thus, it may be easier to increase your lycopene intake by eating unprocessed tomatoes – which also have much less sugar than ketchup.

Other foods in your diet can have a strong effect on lycopene absorption. Consumption of this plant compound with a fat source can increase absorption up to four times (25).

However, not everyone absorbs lycopene at the same rate (26).

Although processed tomato products are richer in lycopene, it is still recommended to consume fresh, whole-grain tomatoes whenever possible.

Tomato Health Benefits

Consumption of tomatoes and tomato products has been linked to improved skin health and a lower risk of heart disease and cancer.

heart health

Heart disease - including heart attacks and strokes - is the most common cause of death in the world. A study in middle-aged men has linked low blood levels of lycopene and beta-carotene to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes (27, 28).

Growing evidence from clinical trials suggests that lycopene supplementation may help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol (29). Clinical studies of tomato products indicate benefits against inflammation and markers of oxidative stress (30, 31).

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They also show a protective effect on the inner layer of blood vessels and may decrease the risk of blood clotting (32, 33).

cancer prevention

Observational studies have shown a link between tomatoes - and their derivatives - and less incidence of prostate, lung and stomach cancer (34, 35). Although high lycopene content is held responsible, high-quality human research is needed to confirm the cause of these benefits (36, 37, 38).

A study in women has shown that high concentrations of carotenoids - found in large amounts in tomatoes - may protect against breast cancer (39, 40).

skin health

Tomato-based foods, rich in lycopene and other plant compounds, can protect against sunburn (41, 42)

According to one study, people who ate 40 grams of tomato paste - providing 16 mg of lycopene - with olive oil every day for 10 weeks experienced 40% less sunburn (43).

commercial ripening process

When tomatoes begin to ripen, they produce a gaseous hormone called ethylene (44, 45)

Commercially grown tomatoes are harvested and transported while still unripe and unripe. To make them red before sale, food companies spray them with artificial ethylene.

This process inhibits the development of natural flavor and can result in unflavored tomatoes (46).

Therefore, locally grown tomatoes may taste better because they can ripen naturally.

If you buy unripened tomatoes, you can speed up the ripening process by wrapping them in a sheet of newspaper and keeping them on the kitchen counter for a few days. Just check them daily for maturation.

Safety and Side Effects

Tomatoes are usually well tolerated, causing allergies only rarely (47, 48).

Allergy

Although tomato allergy is rare, individuals allergic to grass pollen are more likely to be allergic to tomato.

This condition is called pollen food allergy syndrome or oral allergy syndrome (49).

In oral allergy syndrome, your immune system attacks pollen-like fruit and vegetable proteins, which leads to allergic reactions such as itchy mouth, scratchy throat, or swelling of the mouth or throat (50).

People with latex allergies may also be cross-reactive to tomatoes (51, 52).

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