Lycopene, the antioxidant pigment found in tomatoes and other red fruits, can help prevent heart attacks and strokes as well as prostate cancer, doctors attending the Mediterranean Cardiology Meeting in Taormina said on Monday.
Lycopene blocks the oxidation of lipids and consequently reduces the formation of plaques which cause cardiovascular diseases, they said.
The problem is that for the lycopene to be absorbed and have a noticeable effect in reducing cardiovascular problems, tomatoes must be cooked and eaten in large numbers - at least one kilo a day.
However, by eating tomatoes consistently as the main element of a Mediterranean diet, they can still help reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to Michele Gulizia, chairman of the Italian arrhythmia association.
In 2004, findings by researchers at the University of Illinois published in the US Journal of the National Cancer Institute showed that tomato sauce significantly lowered antigen levels linked to prostate disorders.
