Cream of tomato

Published on Thursday 13 November 2008 21:05

New research has identified another health-boosting property of the popular red fruit. Fiona MacGregor dishes up ten more reasons why the humble tomato should be top of our shopping lists

'YOU say tomato, I say cancer-fighting-anti-ageing-generally-all-round-health-boosting superfood." OK, so it doesn't quite scan, but if there's one fruit that deserves its very own song, it's the humble tomato. Scientists this week announced another discovery which adds to the long list of health-boosting properties already attributed to the bright red fruit of the herbaceous plant which is a member of the nightshade family and related to both tobacco plants and chilli peppers. Researchers in Detroit have found that the antioxidant lycopene, which tomatoes contain in a high concentration, may prevent the internal scarring caused by endometriosis, a womb condition affecting two million women in Britain. They may not be as exotic as goji berries or as fragrant as pomegranates, but when it comes to healthy eating, here are ten reasons why tomatoes should top our shopping list.

1 Unlike many nutrients, lycopene's benefits are increased by cooking. So if you dislike having to chomp your way through plates of raw veggies, this is a food for you. Research shows that lycopene is easier for the body to absorb if it has been heated, which means tomato-based sauces, soups and ketchups are great ways to boost your lycopene intake.

2 They are particularly good for men. A six-year study by Harvard Medical School involving more than 47,000 men discovered that increased consumption of tomato products resulted in a marked reduction in prostate cancer risk. It was the only one of the 46 fruits and vegetables evaluated to have this effect. In addition, eating lycopene-rich foods regularly can also help prevent prostate cancer from spreading around the body.

3 They're also good for women. As well as the newly reported benefits in preventing endometriosis, tomatoes have also been associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer and ongoing studies have suggested they could help protect against cervical cancer.

4 They're good for everyone in helping to protect against a variety of diseases. Ongoing research suggests lycopene is associated with reduced risk of macular degenerative disease, one of the most common causes of blindness in the over-sixties, and cancers of the lung, bladder and skin.

5 They can help keep you looking young – and even act as a natural sunscreen. Earlier this year, scientists from Manchester and Newcastle universities fed volunteers a daily dose of 55g (the equivalent of about five tablespoons) of ordinary tomato paste. After three months, those who had been eating the paste had developed 33 per cent more protection against sunburn – the equivalent of wearing a very low-factor sun cream – than those who hadn't. The tomato eaters also had much higher levels of procollagen, a molecule in the skin which helps keep it firm and plump.

6 Love Italian food? Spaghetti bolognese or calzone bursting with tomato sauce are just what the doctor ordered. While cheese and red meat in some Italian dishes can contribute to a rise in cholesterol, tomatoes have been reported to reduce the amount of LDL – so called "bad cholesterol" – and so could decrease the risk of heart disease. Habitual intake of tomato products has also been associated with a lower risk of cancer of the digestive tract among Italians.

7 Worried about air miles associated with your favourite foods and prefer to eat local produce? Tomatoes are easy to cultivate at home, as their popularity in school biology projects attests. A pot or growbag in the backyard, or even a large windowsill, can produce a reasonable crop.

8 Bloody Marys: an alcoholic drink which can contribute to your five a day. Not only does the tomato juice-based beverage taste great, but it really can help cure your hangover – tomatoes are a great-source of vitamin C, which gets depleted by a night's heavy drinking.

9 Like everything else in these days of straitened finances, the price of tomatoes has risen in recent months. But still, costing as little as 15p for some 400g value-brand tins of whole plum tomatoes, they're an awful lot cheaper than fancy antioxidant pills or the latest must-have superberry flown in from Borneo.

10 Even if you don't like the taste you can have a lot of fun with them. La Tomatina is a festival food-fight held every August in the town of Buol in Spain's Valencia region. Up to 40,000 tourists descend to join locals in the gob-smackingly messy street fight and lob more than one hundred tonnes of over-ripe tomatoes at each other.