Tomatoes and Your Health
Tomatoes are a great addition to a healthy dietlow-calorie, fat-free and a good source of Vitamin C. But what propels them to nutritional superstar status is their abundant amount of lycopene, an antioxidant in the carotenoid family with cancer-fighting properties. In this instance, the cooked product is better for you than the rawlycopene is concentrated in cooked products, like tomato sauces, soups and ketchup. Add a little fat, like olive oil, and our bodies absorb lycopene even better. For lycopene-rich fresh tomatoes, choose the reddest ones you can find, make sure they haven't been refrigerated, and drizzle them with olive oil or add or a slice of fresh mozzarella.
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