Although it had been thought that lycopene was independently effective in fighting cancer, the researchers suggest that taking lycopene supplements is likely not as effective as eating whole tomatoes.
Lycopene gives tomatoes their red color and works by fighting damaging free radicals in the system.
The researchers concluded that taking a pill cannot make up for poor dietary habits, and the focus of disease prevention should be on eating a variety of healthy foods and exercising.
BBC News November 5, 2003
Last year a Harvard study including nearly 48,000 men found that eating tomato sauce a couple of times a week may reduce prostate cancer risk. Lycopene appears to be the active ingredient in tomatoes responsible for this effect. However, many then made the mistake of translating this research to taking lycopene supplements. But, as the article shows, the lycopene is more effective when it is combined with other chemicals in the tomatoes
This research supports what I have been advising for some time: consuming entire, whole foods that are ideal for your metabolic type in their purest state will nearly always provide more comprehensive health benefits than a shopping bag full of supplements.
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