Brighten up your health with the red tomato
Jul 11, 2011
DOES the thought of cancer, or accumulation of toxins in your body freak you out? Fret not. The remedy is right in your kitchen. Health experts say tomatoes are rich in antioxidants which help cleanse the body of toxins, explains Mark Ndaula, a botanist at Makerere University.
By Vision Reporter
DOES the thought of cancer, or accumulation of toxins in your body freak you out? Fret not. The remedy is right in your kitchen. Health experts say tomatoes are rich in antioxidants which help cleanse the body of toxins, explains Mark Ndaula, a botanist at Makerere University.
“The red pigment in tomatoes, also known as lycopene, helps neutralise toxins that can potentially be harmful to the body cells. Once the cells, especially the red blood cells break down, the body’s immunity is weakened.
Thus, one is vulnerable to infections or cancers, “says Dr. Gregory Byekwaso, a nutritionist at Healthy Living Centre in Kampala.
In addition, because of the presence of lycopene, the fruit is by far the richest in dietary antioxidants compared to foods rich in beta-carotene (coloured red-orange pigment).
Byekwaso says when shopping, always pick out the tomatoes with a hot red skin.
According to Dr. Mohammad Roshani, a nutritionist, tomatoes help keep cancer at bay. “Junk food is also not only expensive, but also a recipe for disaster. This is one of the reasons cancer is on the rise the world over.â€
“Some people shun fresh tomatoes claiming they cause stomach ulcers due to their acidity,†Roshani says.
“But it is the same compounds in the fruit that help check ailments such as prostate cancer and other cancerous tumours that can be formed in the body,†he adds.
Byekwaso says among the diseases that are increasingly affecting people, 75% can be reduced by good dietary habits.
Tomatoes contain large amounts of Vitamin C, which helps boost immunity, protecting one from common infections such as a cold. The fruit is also rich in Vitamin A, potassium, iron and dietary fibre.
Tomatoes also contain other protective mechanisms and anti-inflammatory functions that protect the body from some allergies.
Tomatoes reduce the risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases.
According to a research carried out in Harvard, USA, men who consumed 10 servings of tomatoes a week, or the equivalent of 10 slices of pizza, can cut the risk of developing prostate cancer by 45%.
Italian researchers also found that people who consume more than seven servings of raw tomatoes lower the risk of developing rectal colon or stomach cancers by 60%.
Other benefits
Keeps blood sugar and diabetes under control, especially if consumed with other vegetables such as onions or garlic.
Helps keep cataracts at bay. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin A which helps correct vision impairment.
Due to the presence of potassium and Vitamin B, tomatoes help lower blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, averting strokes.
Reduce the damage that smoking can do to one’s body.
Homemade tomato paste is rich in vitamins A and C which make a healthy facial cleanser.
Their Vitamin K and calcium content help to strengthen bones and bone tissue.
Check kidney and gall stones.
DOES the thought of cancer, or accumulation of toxins in your body freak you out? Fret not. The remedy is right in your kitchen. Health experts say tomatoes are rich in antioxidants which help cleanse the body of toxins, explains Mark Ndaula, a botanist at Makerere University.
“The red pigment in tomatoes, also known as lycopene, helps neutralise toxins that can potentially be harmful to the body cells. Once the cells, especially the red blood cells break down, the body’s immunity is weakened.
Thus, one is vulnerable to infections or cancers, “says Dr. Gregory Byekwaso, a nutritionist at Healthy Living Centre in Kampala.
In addition, because of the presence of lycopene, the fruit is by far the richest in dietary antioxidants compared to foods rich in beta-carotene (coloured red-orange pigment).
Byekwaso says when shopping, always pick out the tomatoes with a hot red skin.
According to Dr. Mohammad Roshani, a nutritionist, tomatoes help keep cancer at bay. “Junk food is also not only expensive, but also a recipe for disaster. This is one of the reasons cancer is on the rise the world over.â€
“Some people shun fresh tomatoes claiming they cause stomach ulcers due to their acidity,†Roshani says.
“But it is the same compounds in the fruit that help check ailments such as prostate cancer and other cancerous tumours that can be formed in the body,†he adds.
Byekwaso says among the diseases that are increasingly affecting people, 75% can be reduced by good dietary habits.
Tomatoes contain large amounts of Vitamin C, which helps boost immunity, protecting one from common infections such as a cold. The fruit is also rich in Vitamin A, potassium, iron and dietary fibre.
Tomatoes also contain other protective mechanisms and anti-inflammatory functions that protect the body from some allergies.
Tomatoes reduce the risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases.
According to a research carried out in Harvard, USA, men who consumed 10 servings of tomatoes a week, or the equivalent of 10 slices of pizza, can cut the risk of developing prostate cancer by 45%.
Italian researchers also found that people who consume more than seven servings of raw tomatoes lower the risk of developing rectal colon or stomach cancers by 60%.
Other benefits
Keeps blood sugar and diabetes under control, especially if consumed with other vegetables such as onions or garlic.
Helps keep cataracts at bay. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin A which helps correct vision impairment.
Due to the presence of potassium and Vitamin B, tomatoes help lower blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, averting strokes.
Reduce the damage that smoking can do to one’s body.
Homemade tomato paste is rich in vitamins A and C which make a healthy facial cleanser.
Their Vitamin K and calcium content help to strengthen bones and bone tissue.
Check kidney and gall stones.