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Lycopene: a natural antioxidant
Lycopene is a vegetable pigment with antioxidant properties that gives some
fruits and vegetables their red colour.It cannot be synthesised by the body and
can therefore only be obtained through food.Chemically-speaking it is a
carotene from the beta-carotene or provitamin A family. Properties: As it is a natural antioxidant that protects cells from oxidation and the
ageing caused by free radicals,it has a preventative function in relation to
cardiovascular diseases. It can be beneficial in cancer prevention,especially prostate cancer.It also
plays a role in protecting against macular degeneration,which is the main cause
of blindness in those over 65 years of age. It is also thought to reduce cholesterol,especially cholesterol that is
bound to low density lipoproteins (LDL),more commonly known as “bad
cholesterol”. Dietary sources: Being a vegetable pigment,it is found in vegetable foods with intense
colours.Tomatoes and watermelon are especially rich in lycopene.Tomatoes are
the food with the highest lycopene content,with up to 3,000 micrograms (mg) per
100 g. Unlike other micronutrients (for example ascorbic acid or vitamin C),which
are easily destroyed by heat or light,lycopene increases its capacity to be
absorbed when ingested in the form of sauces,as the fat (for example,olive oil)
facilitates its absorption.It is also thought that is absorbed better if eaten
in the form of hot sauces. It is believed that tomatoes grown in the sun and allowed to ripen on the
vine in summer (the tomato is traditionally a summer fruit) are richer in
lycopene than those grown in greenhouses,picked when green and ripened
artificially in warehouses.Similarly,red tomatoes are richer in lycopene than
green ones. Some foods and dishes that are rich in lycopene include: