Lycopene – health properties, dietary sources

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Lycopene is an organic chemical compound from the carotene group that belongs to the carotenoid family, i.e. natural pigments found in plants and animals. Lycopene is an antioxidant and therefore is anti-free radical. It is most abundant in tomatoes and tomato products.

Health properties of lycopene

Lycopene is a chemical compound that has many health benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial properties. A very important property of lycopene is limiting the amount of harmful free radicals in the body. We commonly assume that they contribute to many types of cancer. Therefore, taking lycopene is recommended in particular to people who are genetically prone to cancer and to smokers.

Lycopene, in addition to the aforementioned properties, has a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. It improves the functioning of the endothelium and causes vasodilation, thus reducing the risk of stroke or heart attack. It also inhibits cholesterol synthesis and helps remove harmful LDL cholesterol from the blood. As you can see, lycopene has many health benefits that help fight many serious diseases. In addition affects the strengthening of bones – by increasing their mineral density – and thanks to the antioxidant effect, it ensures good skin condition (it also increases the skin’s resistance to UVA and UVB radiation). Lycopene can be found, for example, in Bioherb’s Two-Phase Facial Modeling Booster, which you can buy at an attractive price on Medonet Market.

Finally, it is worth mentioning one more important property of lycopene, probably especially important in the eyes of men. It has a great influence on the number and activity of sperm in semen, which is why it is often used in drugs supporting potency.

A diet rich in lycopene

The human body cannot produce lycopene, so the only way to assimilate it is to consume it with food. As mentioned above, the main source of lycopene are tomatoes, especially those ripened in the sun, so if we are not allergic to them, it is advisable to include them in our daily diet. Fresh tomatoes can contain as much as 20 mg of lycopene per 100 grams. Another source – but much poorer – are certain vegetables and fruits (especially those with a red color), i.e. watermelon, red pepper, red grapefruit, rosehips, guava, papaya, dried apricots.

Interestingly, the highest concentration of lycopene is found in the preserves of these vegetables and fruits (purees, juices, ketchup). Therefore, it is good to enrich our diet with tomato sauces and soups. For tomato or multi-vegetable juices, adding a drop of olive oil or oil is a good option as lycopene is a fat-soluble compound. There is no specific standard that would show us the daily requirement for this substance. It is only believed that the daily intake of lycopene should be higher than 5-10 mg. We will get this amount by eating tomato sauce or two tomatoes.

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