Compared to common vegetables, tomatoes are rich in natural antioxidants, including not only Vitamin C but also lycopene.
Everyone is familiar with Vitamin C; it can prevent colds and treat scurvy. Lycopene is a natural pigment that gives tomatoes their red color. It functions in the human body similarly to carotene and is a potent antioxidant. Experiments have proven that lycopene has a significant effect on preventing atherosclerosis, reducing oxidative damage, and protecting vascular endothelial function. The higher the concentration of lycopene in human plasma, the lower the incidence of coronary heart disease.
Lycopene also has excellent anti-cancer properties. Its powerful antioxidant activity can eliminate free radicals that promote the growth of cancer cells, preventing their proliferation. Research has found that women with uterine fibroids and cervical cancer have lower levels of lycopene in their serum than healthy women. When the serum lycopene level is higher, the risk of developing stomach and digestive tract cancers is lower.
Research has also found that compared to eating raw tomatoes, consuming processed tomatoes can more effectively increase the concentration of antioxidants like lycopene in the blood. This is because high temperatures break down the cell walls of the tomatoes, thereby increasing the release of antioxidants like lycopene. Furthermore, tomatoes are often cooked with vegetable oils such as peanut oil or salad oil, and these oils help tomatoes to naturally release fat-soluble antioxidants like lycopene, fully exerting their antioxidant effects.
Of course, everything has its pros and cons. When heated, the Vitamin C in tomatoes can be lost, but the content of lycopene and other antioxidants in tomatoes significantly increases. Therefore, the overall nutritional value of cooked tomatoes is higher than that of raw tomatoes. Additionally, the tomato skin contains a large amount of lycopene, so it is best not to discard it when eating.
For patients with Vitamin C deficiency, eating raw tomatoes is also a good way to supplement Vitamin C. However, unripe green tomatoes contain toxins and are not suitable for consumption. Furthermore, some tomatoes may have a protruding top due to the use of plant hormones during their growth process, and these tomatoes should also not be eaten.