Tomato a day keeps prostate cancer at bay--study
POSTED September 8, 2010 - 17:39 | POSTED BY Silky Chandvani
Last edited by Silky Chandvani on September 8, 2010 - 20:55
According to the UK researchers, five or more tomato servings per week are effective in retarding the growth of a tumor in an existing sufferer.
The study, published in the journal 'Cancer Prevention Research,' focused on finding the link between the fruit and its role in combating the disease.
Tomato: an anti-cancer diet?
Scientists at the University of Naples, Italy suggested that the daily consumption of tomatoes can protect against prostate cancer risk, reported the Daily Mail.
The research performed on mice, genetically susceptible to cancer, showed that a daily diet rich in tomato extracts helps in surviving longer.
The mice fed on a meal consisting 10 percent cherry tomato powder each day had lower rates of cancer, were less likely to fall ill, and thus survived longer than the mice on a normal diet, marked the study.
Hitherto studies have also shown that consuming one tomato per week reduces the risk of esophageal cancer by 40 percent.
In fact, tomato products are considered instrumental in lowering gastric cancer, stomach cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
Dr Joanna Owens, from Cancer Research UK, warned, “This study doesn’t provide enough evidence that tomatoes can reduce the risk of prostate cancer or prevent progression of the disease in humans.”
Other risks such as age, family history and ethnicity are likely to play a much greater role than diet alone.”
Lycopene in tomato good for health
Lycopene in tomato is believed to be beneficial for the heart. It is one of the most powerful natural antioxidants believed to protect against cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and even male infertility.
Lycopene is a bright red carotenoid pigment found in tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables such as carrots, watermelons and papayas.
In some studies lycopene, especially in cooked tomatoes, has been found to help prevent prostate cancer, but other researches contradict this claim.
Lycopene has also proved effective in improving the skin's ability to protect against harmful UV rays.
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