Lycocenes and other family members found in vegetables like tomatoes are the most active when it comes to turning on the antioxidant response system. // Posted on 01/31/2005 10:47:03 PM PST by abu afak
Israeli scientists explain how tomatoes prevent cancer
Lycocenes and other family members found in vegetables like tomatoes are the most active when it comes to turning on the antioxidant response system. //
If you are looking for a reason to eat more pizza and pasta topped with lots of tomato sauce, you can thank Israeli researchers for providing great justification.
Scientists at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have identified why it is good for us to consume large quantities of tomatoes - and say that the best way to eat them is cooked up with some olive oil and cheese.
Scientists have long believed that the carotenoids found in fruits and vegetables have a cancer preventive effect. In particular, studies have found that as the consumption of tomato products increases, risk of certain types of cancer decreases - even more so than when a variety of vegetables are eaten. Over the years, studies have found that the risk of up to ten different types of cancer can be reduced by eating tomatoes. The preventative effect is due to the lycopen, the phytonutrient which gives tomatoes their red color.
What has been a relative mystery until now is precisely why this happens. But the BGU scientists are well on the way to discovering the precise mechanism that would explain this relationship between tomato consumption and cancer prevention.
In a study published in the January 2005 issue of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, Dr. Yoav Sharoni and Dr. Joseph Levy discuss how carotenoids, well known for their antioxidant activity, also act to prevent cancer by stimulating the body's antioxidant response element. Lycocenes, which comes from lycopen, is a member of the carotenoid family.
Stimulation of the antioxidant response element is an established mechanism for the mobilization of the body's defense system against carcinogens and other harmful compounds.
"Luckily, we have an established system in our body to fight carcinogens and toxins. This system is the anti-oxidant response elements, Levy told ISRAEL21c.
"Put simply - when you have toxins or carcinogens attacking the cells, our bodies turn on this system. It produces a lot of enzymes which convert these toxins and carcinogens - that can cause DNA mutations that lead to cancer - to less toxic forms by expelling them from the body through urination."
"What is new is that we have shown that the lycocenes and other family members, are the most active when it comes to turning on this antioxidant response system. Our study is focused on the mechanism of how carotenoids like lycopen successfully activate this known protective system in our body which produces the enzymes - we have found clearly that they activate this system. This is the mechanism which prevents cancer."
The clear message this research points to: Eat lots of vegetables, and particularly tomatoes. Levy says that the research clearly shows that the so-called Mediterranean diet is superior to a meat-and-potatoes regimen when it comes to maintaining health, and recommends that people consider drastically increasing their vegetable consumption.
"If you can, incorporate between five to nine portions of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet," he said.
Surprisingly, that doesn't necessarily mean consuming piles of salad. Many people believe instinctually that vegetables like tomatoes are best eaten raw for maximum benefits. But Levy says the research points otherwise.
"Many of these materials are not soluble in water, so they are badly absorbed in our gut when eaten raw and by themselves. You have to take them with some fat, some cheese or oil in salad and more of that. If you cook them, they are very stable, and if you cook them with some oil and have them as sauce or soup they are better absorbed than raw tomatoes," he said.
Levy holds the Irving Isaac Sklar Chair In Endocrinology and Cancer at BGU. He is a Professor in the university's Clinical Biochemistry Department Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University, and acts as the Head of the Endocrine Laboratory at Soroka Medical Center.
His research partner, Sharoni is also a Professor in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, and is the past chairman of the department. Their work has received grant support from agencies including Chief Scientists of the Israeli Ministry of Health, European Community, Cap Cure, as well as from pharmaceutical and nutraceutical corporations.
Related:
Israeli scientists see red - tomato pigment lowers blood pressure
By Idele Ross October 12, 2003
It used to be said that an apple a day kept the doctor away. Now, new research in Israel shows that a red tomato is effective in keeping away heart disease.
Professor Ester Paran, chief of the Hypertension Unit at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva, has led a group of medical researchers in discovering that lycopene, the natural red pigment in tomatoes, lowers blood pressure in hypertense patients. Besides tomatoes, lycopene is also found in red peppers and papayas.
"This is the first time a natural substance has been proven both scientifically and clinically to effectively reduce hypertension." Paran told ISRAEL21c. "The importance is that for the first time we have something natural with the possibility of reducing the risk of stroke and acute coronary events."
Paran said the connection was made by chance. "Soroka researchers had already found that lycopene was an effective anti-oxidant. It reduces fatty acid oxidation and works as an anti-atherosclorosis. As soon as we understood that, it wasn't difficult to wonder what effect it would have on hypertension."
Researchers at Soroka led by Paran carried out a study on 30 Grade One hypertensive patients ranging from 40 to 65 years of age who had never taken drugs for their condition. At first they underwent a two-week series of physical tests in order to establish a baseline diagnosis. They were then given a daily dose of identical placebos for the first four weeks of the study followed by a 250 mg daily dose of lycophene in the form of Lyc-O-Mato capsules for the eight weeks of treatment, and then again four weeks of placebo.
The researchers found a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure among the group, and Diastolic blood pressure was lowered. Beneficial effects on blood lipids, lipoproteins and oxidative stress markers were also noted in the study. The results which were presented at the annual meeting of The American Journal of Hypertension in San Francisco, clearly indicated that dosages of the tomato extract can treat hypertension which causes heart disease and stroke. ..."
The rest at:
http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enZone=Health&enDispWho=Articles^l525&enPage=BlankPage
And what are "Arab scientists" doing?
Probably preaching that Jews are the cause of all ill in the Muslim world...
BTTT
A friend of mine at Berkeley told me that the academic paper output (a rough measure of the quantity and quality of research going on) of Israel is greater than the entire Arab region.
He also thinks Israel produces more publications per its number of researchers than any other country - though I think China, Japan and the USA may give them a run for their money - not to mention the excellent colleges in Britain and western Europe.
Actually ,.. the Arab/UN Ingrates.. would be surprised to know that ISRAEL has done more for Agriculture in Arid Countries than any country in the World.
(Including Arabs from Morocco to Iraq used to go to there to learn until recently)
The Drip Irrigation System/S ISRAEL INVENTED is feeding extra Hundreds of Millions and is being used from High end California Vineyards to the Arab World and Indian Subcontinent and thru Africa.
That's what happens when you throw a few Jews in the Desert for 20 years the Arabs inhabited for 1500 years
(Please Excuse me for that Gloat/Overly prideful statement .. but it's true... abu afak)
Nice Idea! I'll soak my grilled meat with ketchup next time!
Alright I love tomatoes
Rack itttt
Actually only person that doesn't like tomatoes is my brother this is cool rack Israelis
Maybe use a little Olive oil too... and take an Omega Capsule with it as well (OMEGA 3,6,9 etc)
God blesses us again
House Special Pizzas
| Slice | Personal | Medium | Large | |
| Vegetarian Special Roma tomatoes, mushroom, onion, olive, garlic and bell pepper |
4.59 | 11.99 | 20.99 | 21.99 |
| Uncle Miltie's Jacopo's Special pepperoni, sausage, meatball, mushroom, bell pepper, and onion |
4.59 | 11.99 | 20.99 | 21.99 |
| Max's Big Apple thinner and crisper than our traditional pizza with light sauce and easy Polly O whole milk mozzarella |
8.99 | 15.79 | 16.79 | |
| The Lily ricotta cheese, mozzarella, sauteed fresh baby spinach, roasted garlic and shallots |
10.49 | 18.49 | 20.49 | |
| New! Spinach and Artichoke Dip what could taste better than our spinach and artichoke dip baked on a Jacopo’s pizza crust? |
11.99 | 20.99 | 21.99 | |
| The Bulldog meat and lots of it! pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, bacon and ham |
11.99 | 20.99 | 21.99 | |
| Florentina Chicken sausage, baby spinach, sliced Roma tomatoes, garlic, Romano and mozzarella with toasted pine nuts |
10.99 | 19.49 | 21.49 | |
| New! Cheese X4 gorgonzola, provolone, romano and mozzarella |
11.99 | 20.99 | 21.99 | |
| Puttenesca artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoes, black olives, capers, garlic and mozzarella cheese |
10.49 | 18.49 | 20.49 | |
| Barbecue chicken white meat chicken, red onion, barbecue sauce and mozzarella |
10.49 | 18.49 | 20.49 | |
| Spicy Buffalo chicken hot, crispy and spicy “Buffalo style” chicken tenders on bubbling mozzarella cheese garnished with fresh cilantro and ranch dressing Our #1 specialty pizza |
10.49 | 18.49 | 20.49 | |
| New! Barbecue Pork do you like ribs? do you like pizza? Try this! Smoked pulled pork, barbecue sauce, corn and cilantro |
But Mmmmm so good!
Mmmmmmmmmmm, BLTs...
Compounds in grilled meats, or any burned item have always been considered carcinogens. I don't think people can eat enough burned stuff, or would want to to have an effect.
It is just the leftist vegans trying to control the food of real men.
There are also beneficial anti-cancer compounds in grilled meats. That was found long ago, but most research deals with the bad stuff not the good.
Sort of like exposure to the sun. You get benefits but can also get cancer. Truth is, we all have cancer cell at one time or another. Some will eventually flourish, but most are defeated by the body's immune system.
So eat correctly, do not go out into the sun, and die slipping on a wet floor.
At three bucks a pound, I wouldn't buy tomatoes if they caused world peace!
This is blatant price fixing...FOX had a piece on this a few weeks back. Tomatoes are rotting on the vine in Florida because farmers can't sell them to grocery chains, who have got them jacked up so high that customers are refusing to buy them. Florida farmers say that there are "plenty of tomatoes available", and that "they are dirt cheap". (I've heard $7 to $9 per 25 pound box, while grocery syndicates are charging $3 to $4 per POUND!!!) There is NO shortage. I had one produce rep at a local grocery store (liberal New Hampshire) tell me that tomatoes were "out of season". Please.
okay, in the dumb question category: is tomatoe juice cooked or is it raw?
(uh, can't say "no tomatoes, please" huh)
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