Natural Pigment Lycopene
Lycopene is one of the most widely distributed carotenoid natural pigments in nature. In the leaves of plants, the color of lycopene and other carotenoids is masked by chlorophyll. When plants enter the ripening stage, the chlorophyll content decreases, and the color of lycopene and other carotenoids becomes visible.
In every 100 grams of fruits and vegetables containing lycopene, the lycopene content is as follows: tomatoes 0.2~20 milligrams, watermelon 2.3~7.2 milligrams, guava (pink) 5.23~5.50 milligrams, papaya 0.11~5.3 milligrams, grapefruit (pink) 0.35~3.36 milligrams, carrots 0.65~0.78 milligrams, pumpkin 0.38~0.46 milligrams, sweet potato 0.02~0.11 milligrams, apricot 0.01~0.05 milligrams.
The Natural Warehouse of Lycopene
Tomatoes contain more than 20 types of carotenoids, such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, of which lycopene accounts for about 80% to 90%. It can be said that tomatoes are the natural warehouse of lycopene.
The content of lycopene increases rapidly with fruit ripening, and people can roughly judge the amount of lycopene content by the color of tomatoes. In fresh tomato fruits, there are generally 3-5 milligrams of lycopene per 100 grams of tomatoes. In the highest-content varieties, there are up to 20 milligrams of lycopene per 100 grams. In yellow tomatoes, there are only 0.5 milligrams of lycopene per 100 grams. Lycopene content is higher in summer tomatoes and lower in winter. Regardless of the season, the lycopene content of tomatoes grown in greenhouses is lower than that of tomatoes grown outdoors in the summer.
The Convincing Anti-Cancer Pioneer
Research has shown that among various natural carotenoids, lycopene has the strongest effect in scavenging active oxygen and has the function of preventing various epithelial cancers such as prostate cancer and lung cancer. In human blood, the concentration of lycopene is inversely proportional to the incidence of cancer.
In 1994, Italian scholars conducted a comparative study of 2706 patients with various digestive tract cancers and 2879 healthy people. They found that increasing the intake of tomatoes has a protective effect on the digestive tract. Compared with people who do not eat tomatoes, those who eat at least one serving of tomatoes per day can reduce their chances of developing digestive tract cancer by 50%.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a 4-year follow-up study on 48,000 men who ate more than 46 types of fruits and vegetables. They found that people who ate at least 10 servings of tomato products, such as tomatoes, tomato sauce, and pizza sauce, per week had a 34% reduced chance of developing prostate cancer. Compared with women with low lycopene concentrations in their bodies, women with high lycopene concentrations are less likely to develop cervical cancer.
Again Showing Its Magic in Nourishing the Heart and Protecting the Eyes
From a theoretical medical research perspective, since lycopene can prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein in the blood, it can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Based on research reports from 10 European countries, some scholars concluded that eating tomato products containing at least 40 milligrams of lycopene daily (equivalent to drinking two glasses of tomato juice) can significantly reduce the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein in the blood and the risk of coronary heart disease.
Cataracts and age-related macular degeneration are common eye diseases in the elderly. According to a report by Maris Palma from the University of Wisconsin, USA, compared with people with low lycopene concentrations in their blood, those with high lycopene concentrations can reduce their chances of developing age-related macular degeneration by 50%.
How to Retain Lycopene
When tomatoes are processed or cooked, some of the double bonds in the lycopene molecule change from a trans to a cis structure, causing the lycopene molecule to bend and making it easier for the body to absorb. In addition, since lycopene is a fat-soluble nutrient, cooking tomatoes with oil or drizzling oil on tomato products can facilitate the absorption of lycopene. However, lycopene is easily decomposed and inactivated by light, heat, and oxygen. Therefore, whether in factory production or home cooking, prolonged high-temperature heating should be avoided to retain more lycopene in the products and dishes, thereby enhancing their health benefits.