Tomatoes, one of the widely consumed fruits around the world, have been studied for their numerous health benefits. One of the most talked-about benefits is their anti-cancer properties.

However, recent research has pointed out a common error most of us commit while consuming tomatoes. This error can drastically affect the availability of the beneficial compounds that make tomatoes a cancer-fighting food. Let’s delve deeper into this topic and unravel the truth.

The Anti-Cancer Properties of Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that has been extensively studied for its cancer-fighting properties. Lycopene has been found to protect against different types of cancer such as lung, stomach, prostate, and breast cancer.

Tomatoes also contain other beneficial compounds such as vitamin C, flavonoids, and carotenoids that have been linked with a reduced risk of cancer.

The Error We Commit While Consuming Tomatoes

Have you ever observed that most of the time, when you buy tomatoes, they are still unripe and hard? In this case, what do you do? You probably keep them in a fruit basket or a plastic bag and wait for them to ripen.

However, this is the common error that we commit while consuming tomatoes.

Tomatoes, like other fruits, need to be ripened on the vine before they are picked. This allows the tomato to develop its full flavor and nutrition profile.

However, due to transportation and shelf-life demands, most of the tomatoes sold in grocery stores are not vine-ripened. This means that when you buy tomatoes, they are usually unripe and hard.

Now, when you bring these unripe tomatoes home, you probably keep them in a fruit basket or seal them in a plastic bag to wait for them to ripen. However, this is where the error happens.

When tomatoes are exposed to oxygen, their lycopene content starts to degrade, and the beneficial compounds start to break down. This means that by the time the tomatoes ripen, their anti-cancer properties have significantly decreased.

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The Solution to the Problem

The best way to benefit from the anti-cancer properties of tomatoes is to consume them when they are vine-ripened. This means that you need to find a source that sells vine-ripened tomatoes.

Look for local farmers’ markets, or consider growing your tomatoes at home. If you have to buy tomatoes from a grocery store, look for those that are vine-ripened, or consider buying canned tomatoes.

Canned tomatoes have been found to contain a higher concentration of lycopene than fresh tomatoes. This is because canned tomatoes are processed when they are vine-ripened, ensuring that their beneficial compounds are locked in.

However, when buying canned tomatoes, make sure that there are no added preservatives or sugars.

Additional Tips to Maximize the Benefits of Tomatoes

Here are some additional tips to maximize the benefits of tomatoes:.

Cook tomatoes: While raw tomatoes are beneficial, cooked tomatoes are even better. Cooking helps to release more lycopene from the tomato, making it more bioavailable and easily absorbed by the body.

Add healthy fats: Lycopene is fat-soluble, meaning that it needs fats to be absorbed by the body. Adding healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, or nuts to your tomato dishes can help you absorb more lycopene.

Avoid overheating: While cooking tomatoes is beneficial, overheating them can lead to the breakdown of the beneficial compounds. Cook tomatoes on low to medium heat to avoid overheating.

The Bottom Line

Tomatoes are a nutrition powerhouse that has been linked with numerous health benefits, including anti-cancer properties. However, to benefit from these properties, it is important to consume vine-ripened tomatoes.

Buying canned tomatoes or growing your tomatoes at home can be good alternatives. Additionally, cooking tomatoes, adding healthy fats, and avoiding overheating can help you maximize the benefits of tomatoes.