TOMATOES TO TAME INFLAMMATION

This is a repeat of a post in June. I wanted to get it back here with these foods that fight inflammation, in case you missed it earlier.

According to scientists in the journal Molecules we are 60% less likely to battle aches if our diets are rich in lycopene. Lycopene is the pigment that gives tomatoes their cheery red hue. Lycopene blocks the release of inflammation-triggering enzymes (COX-2 and TMF alpha) inside tissues. Tomatoes when cooked have more lycopene than do fresh tomatoes. That can make pasta sauces and other tomato-based sauces good for us. So, enjoy some lycopene meals when the aches set in.

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DR STORK'S PLANT COMBO FOR HEALTH

Dr Travis Stork, MD, has a recommendation regarding two healthy plant foods. The two are olive oil and tomatoes. When heated in the cooking process, these two Italian favorites, work to help the body absorb three times more plant-based lycopene. Lycopene is a compound that limits how much fat is stored in cells. Another benefit is that olive oil is the only monounsaturated fat shown to reduce stroke risks.

 

TOMATOES HELP PREVENT SUNBURN

When in the sun you should always use sunscreen, I want to be sure you know this post does not take away from that fact. But did you know that eating tomatoes consistently can make your skin less susceptible to UV damage? Tomatoes are high in lycopene which may account for the reason why this helps.

TOMATOES AND CANCER

Tomatoes are good for us in so many ways but one important thing about tomatoes is the antioxidant lycopene. Studies have shown that because of lycopene tomatoes may block cancer by, among other things, stopping malignant cells from multiplying and by causing them to destroy themselves. An important note about lycopene is that while tomatoes are healthy in any form, cooked tomato products, ie tomato sauce, make lycopene more easily available to the body. Tomato products are said to be especially helpful against prostate cancer.

IS "LITE" SALAD DRESSING HEALTHIER THAN REGULAR?

Basically, the answer is no. Would you believe your body needs the fat in the regular dressing to help it absorb some of the nutrients in the salad veggies. The fat helps the body absorb some important nutrients such as lycopene, lutein, beta carotene. Using the regular dressing can help you double the nutrients your body absorbs. Just keep an eye on the amount of calories you are getting. This information is from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

COMBINE CITRUS WITH FOODS FOR MORE HEALTH BENEFIT

We can actually improve the benefits we get from certain foods by what we combine them with.  Here are some examples of what you can do to not only improve taste but health benefits by combining citrus with other foods.  Citrus is today's example, but it is not the only food that can be added to make healthy tasty combinations.

• Take some plain light vanilla yogurt and add some finely shredded lime peel or cara cara oranges to add lycopene to the yogurt.  You are not only adding flavor to the yogurt, you are getting some lycopene-rich food in the process.  Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant.
• Blood oranges are anthocyanin-rich fruits.  Add some segments to salsas and chutneys to not only improve flavor but for the anthocyanin benefits.  Anthocyanins have powerful antioxidant properties.
• Add tangerine segments to spinach salads.  This vitamin-C rich citrus will help your body absorb the iron from the spinach.
• Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice onto fish, into sauces, and onto salads.  This will add a fresh zesty taste while giving you a vitamin boost.

BENEFITS OF COLORFUL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

There is more to colorful fruits and vegetables than just making your plate look pretty!  Karen Ansel, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, states that you get a better mix of nutrients by eating produce in a variety of shades thanks to the unique combination of vitamins, antioxidants, and natural chemicals behind the bright colors.  Research proves these colorful inducing compounds help to ward off disease, slow the aging process, and boost overall general health.  A few examples of some of these benefits are listed below:

Reds - a handful of cherries, fresh or dried, eaten an hour before bedtime can increase your level of melatonin helping you to fall asleep quicker and rest better.

• The lycopene in tomatoes gives them their red shade and guards against cancer.  Cooking increases the lycopene in tomatoes.
• Red bell peppers are full of lutein, a compound that can reduce the risk of macular degeneration and improve vision. Red bell peppers are very high in vitamin C. Higher than citrus fruits.
• Yellows - Corn, and this is probably a surprise, is rich in beta-cryptoxanthin. People who eat foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin regularly reduce their risk of lung cancer by 27%.
• Bananas - Rich in potassium, bananas help to stave off cardiovascular disease and also help to regulate blood pressure.
• Pineapple - Just one cup of pineapple gives you 128% of the recommended daily allowance of manganese.  Manganese is an essential nutrient that takes cancer-causing free radicals out of cells.
• Remember this is not a complete list, just a partial list to show how important these colorful fruits and vegetables are to our diets.  Tomorrow's post will discuss other colors.

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EAT YOUR VEGGIES RAW OR COOKED?

One of the questions that often comes up is whether or not one should eat their vegetables cooked or raw to receive the most nutritional value.  Below is a list of the most often questioned vegetables and information to help you decide.  Personally I say have them both ways throughout the week, you will see why below.

• Tomatoes: You receive health benefits from tomatoes no matter how you eat them.  They are one of the vegetables, however, that should be eaten cooked on a regular basis.  When tomatoes are cooked (think sauces) they give one a higher dose of their cancer-fighting lycopene.
• Zucchini: Along with other squashes, zucchini gives one more beta-carotene (a building block for vitamin A) when cooked.
• Spinach: Spinach is somewhat unique in that it has more vitamin C and folate when left raw.  It has more calcium and zinc when cooked.
• Bell Peppers: More vitamin B when consumed raw.
• Garlic: Garlic's health-protecting antimicrobial is lowered by cooking.

In a well-rounded diet, it is important to eat vegetables everyday both cooked and uncooked.

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TOMATOES ARE A HAPPINESS FOOD!

We all know tomatoes are good for us and are a food we definitely need as a part of our diets.  Here is a reason that might surprise you; tomatoes are a happiness food.  Tomatoes are rich in lycopene which helps maintain good mood by preventing the formation of inflammatory compounds that are associated with depression.  There are other mood enhancers in tomatoes, too, such as folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin B6.  The iron and vitamin B6 are both needed by the brain to produce important mood-regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

So, eat your tomatoes and tomato products and be happy!

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