Once consumed only as an aphrodisiac, the "love apple" of old gradually worked its way around the world to become the vegetable consumed almost as often as potatoes. From the New World to the Mediterranean, to Southeast Asia, to the far corners of the Earth, tomatoes were recently catapulted into the headlines when researchers established this much-loved vegetable as a significant source of lycopene.
The health benefits of tomatoes are almost too varied to imagine with their high vitamin, mineral, and nutrient levels. And now, thanks to worldwide research, the lycopene in tomatoes and tomato products has elevated them to a true "functional food" or the nutraceutical category.
Lycopene is probably the most powerful antioxidant with more than twice that of beta-carotene and 100 times more than vitamin E. Along with vitamins E and C, it is a potent antioxidant with a superior ability to quench those free oxygen radicals that play a big role in aging and many degenerative diseases, including some cancers, cardio-vascuar disease, and blindness.
Lycopene, a nutrient like beta-carotene, contributes the brilliant red color to many fruits and vegetables – especially tomatoes. Once tomatoes have been processed into paste and other tomato products, the heat used in these treatments actually increases absorption of lycopene by as much as three times over that of fresh tomatoes.
Tomatoes and their lycopene may not be the "magic bullet," but if ever there was a reason to eat more fruits and vegetables, lycopene is it! California processed tomatoes provide ample amounts of lycopene and they are always ready to add to your favorite dishes. California tomatoes are always in season!
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