Benefits of Tomatoes

Benefits of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) to the body can be known from scientific publications. For example, Edward Giovannucci in the publication titled "Tomato Products, Lycopene, and Prostate Cancer: A Review of the Epidemiological Literature at the American Society for Nutritional Sciences" 2005 argues that there is still controversy about the benefits of tomatoes in preventing various diseases one prostate cancer.

Tomato as an anti-cancer benefits of prostate due to the presence of lycopene content in tomatoes. Lycopene is also found in a variety of processed tomato and variations, like: pizza, tomato soup, sauce, juice, salad, spaghetti sauce, salsa, and tomato sauce. Variety of processed tomatoes was the source of his bioavailability of lycopene better than fresh tomatoes.

Uniquely other fruits such as red grapes and watermelon also contain lycopene. In addition to prostate cancer, the benefits of lycopene is also thought to be felt for people with breast cancer, gastric cancer, degeneration of cells of the eye due to age (age-related macular degeneration), reduce levels of bad cholesterol, protect the skin from the fierce ultraviolet light, smooth and beautify skin, reduce skin wrinkles, etc. In addition to lycopene, tomatoes actually also contain beta-carotene, lutein, vitamin E, vitamin C, and flavonoids (one of them: quercetin).

However, the results of the above studies contradicted by the results of research conducted by Etminan, M., Takkouche, B. & Caamano-Isorna, F. (2004) and Schuurman, A. G., ​​Goldbohm, R. A., Dorant, E. & Van den Brandt, P. A. (1998) which concluded that there was no positive correlation between tomatoes and prostate cancer.

Benefits of tomatoes on lung cancer are still controversial. Some studies suggest beneficial but other studies have concluded there is a positive correlation between the two (tomato and lung cancer).

Results of epidemiological studies on the benefits of tomatoes is still need to be revisited, given to be effective and maximal, then there are a few things to consider: conduct a comprehensive assessment of the various primary sources of lycopene, lycopene bioavailability counting, checking population with intake (intake) products tomatoes are high, calculate the temporal pattern because single diet or blood measurements within a specified period not enough, big enough population to evaluate the relative risks, examine whether the benefits of tomatoes or lycopene is influenced by genetic factors, called genetic polymorphisms, especially with respect to DNA repair genes .