2023-09-18 06:40:00
Tomatoes have very high nutritional value. This fruit is rich in vitamins A, C, K, vitamin B6, potassium, folate, thiamin, magnesium, niacin, copper and phosphorus… What’s even better about tomatoes is that they contain very little cholesterol, saturated fat, and sodium. and calories but rich in anti-cancer Lycopene.
However, it must be remembered that the anti-cancer “golden substance” Lycopene only appears in ripe tomatoes. Other nutrients also peak in the ripe state instead of green or newly nursed tomatoes, not fully ripe.
You should only eat tomatoes when ripe to receive maximum nutrition and prevent cancer (Illustration)
On the contrary, tomatoes that are still green and not fully ripe contain solanine. This is a highly toxic substance and can easily harm the human liver. Symptoms of poisoning from eating green tomatoes are usually nausea, vomiting, salivation, weakness, fatigue and other symptoms… even in severe cases, they can be life-threatening.
Green tomatoes also contain many alkaloid elements that are harmful to health. Tomatoes that are not fully ripe when eaten also have reduced nutrition, flavor, and are not attractive to the eye. But when the tomatoes ripen, the toxic substances in the tomatoes will gradually decrease and disappear. Furthermore, its anti-cancer, skin and hair beautifying effects will reach the highest level.
Ripe tomatoes fight cancer
There are many studies proving that tomatoes actually have a positive effect on some cancers. That’s thanks to a substance called lycopene found in abundance in ripe tomatoes. This is a bright red carotenoid and carotenoid pigment and a phytochemical found in many fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes.
Lycopene is an antioxidant – it fights molecules called free radicals that can damage cells and affect your immune system. Tomatoes are one of the foods with the highest concentration of lycopene. Each 100g of dried tomatoes contains up to 45.9mg of lycopene and this content in whole tomatoes is 21.8mg.
Regarding the anti-cancer mechanism, lycopene’s main effect is a very strong antioxidant that protects your body from damage caused by compounds called free radicals. The antioxidant properties of lycopene can help keep free radical levels balanced, protect the body against many chronic diseases, and slow or inhibit the growth and spread of cancer cells.
The most prominent recent research on this issue belongs to a group of scientists from the Department of Clinical Nutrition, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Cancer Research Institute, Poland. It has been shown that foods rich in lycopene like tomatoes may make you less likely to get lung, stomach or prostate cancer. Some studies show they may help prevent disease in the pancreas, colon, throat, mouth, breasts, and cervix.
Thoroughly ripe red tomatoes are said to be the richest in the anti-cancer substance lycopene (Illustration)
Scientists at the University of Portsmouth (UK) have studied lycopene’s ability to slow the growth of breast cancer and prostate cancer. It disrupts signaling pathways that normally cause tumors to grow more slowly. In the US, MD Anderson Cancer Center, North Central cancer treatment, North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG, The Northern Central Cancer Treatment Group) also conducts many clinical studies. The results show that lycopene from tomatoes actively helps reduce and inhibit prostate cancer with an average of 15% compared to people who do not eat it.
Another study of 46,000 American men over 20 years showed a significant correlation between high lycopene intake and a reduced risk of prostate cancer. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. According to a study by Harvard Medical School (USA), using tomatoes and tomato products such as tomato sauce and pizza more than twice a week reduces the risk of prostate cancer by 21 – 34%.
Although “lycopene” is named after tomatoes, it is not unique to tomatoes. We can find it in other red fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, papaya, red guava, red grapefruit, and grapefruit, but not in strawberries or cherries. In addition, polyphenols and vitamin C in tomatoes also “contribute” greatly to fighting cancer. Mainly related to slowing down the rate of oxidation, fighting inflammation, and preventing the formation of tumors.
Ripe tomatoes help beautify skin and hair
In fact, tomatoes themselves do not contain ingredients that directly whiten or prevent hair loss. But because tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, eating and drinking ripe tomatoes or applying ripe tomato masks regularly will have the effect of beautifying the skin, although not as much as we think.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect the skin from free radical damage, thereby reducing the risk of wrinkles and dark spots on the skin. At the same time, vitamin C can also promote collagen synthesis, thereby helping to increase skin elasticity and firmness. However, according to the “Chinese Food Composition Table (6th Edition, Volume 1)”, the vitamin C content in tomatoes is not high, only 14 mg/100g. Vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, and colorful peppers have more vitamin C than tomatoes.
Therefore, the skin whitening effect of tomatoes is not too high. But this fruit can help moisturize and firm the skin. At the same time, according to a study published in Scientific Reports, tomatoes can help protect against UV rays and reduce the risk of sunburn. This is because tomatoes are high in carotenoids, a component of lycopene. However, scientists also warn that you can’t just rely on eating tomatoes instead of sunscreen. If you want to avoid tanning, you still need to do a good job of sun protection.
Tomatoes are also popular fruits in beauty (Illustration)
Ripe tomatoes also have the effect of beautifying hair. Specifically, when ripe, the vitamin A content in this fruit is high and it helps your hair stay strong, shiny, and less prone to breakage. But it should be affirmed that tomatoes do not have the super power to make thin hair fuller, they can only improve the existing hair condition and reduce the amount of hair breakage afterward.
Besides having positive effects on cancer, beautifying the skin or hair, ripe tomatoes are also considered a precious fruit for health because of many other benefits. Outstanding features such as being good for the eyes, protecting the heart, reducing dental disease…
A recent study published in the journal Advances in Nutrition also found that people who consume lycopene have a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. In addition, lycopene can also help reduce “bad cholesterol” levels and have positive blood pressure-lowering effects. This substance was also researched by a group of American professors Chandra and his colleagues published in the Journal of Nutrition that can fight gingivitis and periodontitis thanks to its antibacterial and antifungal properties.
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