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Today, as the importance of a healthy diet increases, antioxidant consumption has increased in the same way. Fruits and vegetables are the main sources of antioxidant compounds. Another substance that has attracted attention recently and has been proven to be a powerful antioxidant by studies is lycopene.
Lycopene is a pigment found in many fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, grapefruit, and watermelon. However, lycopene is not only a coloring agent. Lycopene is a substance that has antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects and has a detoxifying effect.
Lycopene is mostly found in tomatoes, which are not missing from our tables, can be consumed fresh as well as in ketchup, tomato paste, peeled or sliced canned food. Lycopene constitutes 83% of the pigments found in tomatoes.
By consuming products with high lycopene content, health problems such as cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's and skin problems can be prevented by preventing diseases such as breast, uterine, liver, prostate cancer and LDL cholesterol. In a study in which watermelon, vegetable juices and tomato products with lycopene content were tested, it was determined that the product with the highest lycopene content was tomato can, while the product with the highest antioxidant effect was found to be tomato soup.
In other studies, it was found that the loss of lycopene in tomatoes dried at high temperatures was 2-3% and the antioxidant effect was higher in dried tomatoes compared to other tomato products.
Although it is common to think that there will be nutrient loss in heat treated products, this is not the case with lycopene. The bioavailability and nutritional quality of lycopene are increased due to enzymatic reactions during the processing of the product.
The benefits of lycopene are known more and more, and the consumption of lycopene-containing products for healthy nutrition is increasing. These products, which we should include in our daily diet, are especially important for individuals in their growing age.
