New research shows that processed tomato products are better sources of lycopene than fresh tomatoes. Other research has shown that the body absorbs lycopene in tomato paste more easily than fresh tomatoes, so processed tomato products such as tomato paste and ketchup are better sources of these antioxidants. You can buy aseptic tomato paste from Arenafood
Properties of processed tomatoes
The July 1997 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that in terms of bioavailability in humans, the amount of lycopene in tomato paste was 2.5 times that of fresh tomatoes.
Lycopene is said to help prevent some cancers, such as prostate cancer. An epidemiological study found an association between tomato-rich diets and a reduced risk of prostate cancer. The researchers hypothesized that the bioavailability of lycopene in processed tomato products was better than in fresh tomatoes. New research has been devoted to examining this hypothesis.
In this study, Dr. Helmut Sais of the Institute for Physiological Chemistry at the University of Heinrich Hein Düsseldorf confirmed the hypothesis that the absorption of lycopene in processed products is higher and more available than that of tomatoes, especially tomato paste.
The study was based on two days of experiments with an interval of two weeks.
Five participants in the experiment had a low carotenoid diet three days before the study days. On the days of the study, people did not eat anything overnight and then ate either 400 grams of fresh tomatoes or 40 grams of tomato paste containing equal amounts of lycopene (23 mg), plus 15 grams of corn oil and 100 grams of bread. Freshly chopped tomatoes were eaten with corn oil as a salad, and corn oil was put into the paste and mixed with tomato paste.
Blood samples were taken from participants before and after eating these tomato meals. The results showed that the digestion of lycopene in tomato paste in the body was 2.5 times that of fresh tomatoes.
“These results are significant given the growing evidence for the benefits of lycopene for the body. There is a lot of research and study on how lycopene is metabolized and distributed in
the body, and how people can increase and improve its absorption and absorption.
The difference between fresh tomatoes_processed tomatoes
Researchers believe that processing or cooking tomatoes breaks down cell walls and makes lycopene more accessible to the body during digestion. Absorption of lycopene is even higher when combined with a small amount of fat, which is present in the oils in processed tomato products.
Lycopene has the highest activity among carotenoid antioxidants in the diet. In March 1997, at the International Conference on “The Role of Lycopene and Tomato Products in Disease Prevention,” several studies on lycopene’s potential health benefits were presented, leading to more research into the substance.
