Tomato The Wonder Food

Proper nutrition should not depend on food fads. While many people easily get into the health food trend bandwagon as a way to stay fit and healthy, there are common foods that many people overlook that may offer the same benefits. One example is the tomato.

Many people will not give the tomato a second look when talking about health foods. Aside from being abundant at the supermarket, it is easy to overlook. But the humble tomato can be considered as a superfood. Here are some of the reasons why.

Tomatoes help reduce stroke risk by 50 percent.

Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants, most notably lycopene. This antioxidant gives the fruit its ripe red color and is known to lower the risk of stroke. A Finnish study went to study whether higher levels of lycopene in the blood may have an effect on stroke risk. Sure enough, the participants in the study with increased levels of lycopene in their blood serum also have more than 50 percent lower risk of stroke.

Tomatoes help boost bone health.

Studies also show that eating tomatoes may help keep your bones healthy. It is linked to a lower risk of osteoporosis, a disease that causes your bones to become brittle. Eating tomatoes will help strengthen your bones and help keep them protected against fractures and deformity, especially for the elderly.

Tomatoes lower heart attack risk.

Eating tomatoes is also good for your heart. This is why the tomato-rich Mediterranean diet is known to help stave off the risks of heart disease. Tomatoes, paired with extra-virgin olive oil or mixed nuts, can help lower the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.

Tomatoes help fight off some cancers.

Lycopene in tomatoes help lower the risk of some cancers. Studies indicate that lycopene may help lower the risk of certain types of cancers such as those in the lung, stomach and prostate. It may also help decrease the risk of cancers in the mouth, pancreas, breast, cervix, rectum and the colon. Some studies indicate that the cancer fighting effects were found only when eating tomatoes or tomato-based foods and not when taking lycopene supplements. While there may be a need for added studies to prove this fact, eating more tomatoes for the meantime won’t do you any harm.
Diet Fitness – GuideTo.Com

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