(PCM) According to a new study published in the journal Neurology, tomatoes lower a man’s risk of suffering a stroke – the third leading cause of death in America.
Researchers examined more than 1,000 men, ages 46 to 65, and found that those whose blood contained the highest levels of lycopene – the powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes – had 55 percent less chance of having a stroke. Participants were followed for 12 years, and while researchers also checked levels of the antioxidants alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol and retinol, lycopene was the only antioxidant associated with a lower risk. The results held true even after adjusting for other risk factors like age, health, and smoking.
Study author Jouni Karppi, Ph.D. says the new research supports “the recommendation that people get more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. This would likely lead to a major reduction in the number of strokes worldwide, according to previous research.”
If raw tomatoes starts to get a little boring, start cooking with them: you can also get high levels of lycopene from tomato-based products, such as tomato sauces and paste. Watermelon, pink grapefruit and guava are also good sources.
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