This summer when you think of tomatoes, chances are they’ll be in a cold summer salad. But did you know that tomatoes could actually be your best defence against signs of aging?
A recent study conducted in the UK suggests that tomatoes can protect skin against sunburn, and damage to the skin caused by sun exposure such as wrinkles and discolouration. In the study, 20 women were split into two groups; one group’s diet remained normal, while the other group introduced five tablespoons of tomato paste with olive oil for twelve weeks. The result? The women on the tomato diet had a 30% increase in skin protection.
So what’s the mystery ingredient that makes all the difference?
Lycopene
Lycopene is the pigment that gives tomatoes their red colour – and it’s also a powerful anti-oxidant. Lycopene blocks free radicals that can damage skin cells, protecting it from damage that causes visible signs of aging. But it doesn’t just help your body look its best.
Research shows that those who ate a diet high in Lycopene-rich foods had less instances of prostate, lung, cervical and stomach cancers. Foods such as ketchup, tomato paste and soup can help deliver this anti-oxidant to your body, building a great defence against sunburn and damage.
Other fruits and vegetables that are high in lycopene include gac fruit, tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, pink guava, papaya, seabuckthorn, wolfberry (goji, a berry relative of tomato), and rosehip.
Thank you for reading!
Wendy x
Sources: Skin Vitality Medical Clinic (US), Wikipedia, Wendy O’Hare