Eat This 'Processed' Food to Fight Cancer
Hundreds of years ago, a tomato could kill you...
In the late 18th century, many Europeans called the tomato a "poison apple" because it was believed that a lot of rich folks died from eating them.
But it wasn't really the tomato. As it turns out, the wealthy favored eating off of pewter plates, where the natural tomato acids chemically reacted with the blend of metals to release lead, resulting in lead poisoning.
But the folks who swore off the produce because of the poison-apple panic were missing out on one feature of tomatoes that makes them a health powerhouse...
Tomatoes contain a naturally occurring plant-based chemical (or phytochemical) called carotenoids. Carotenoids also lend red, orange, or yellow hues to lots of plants. And the carotenoid in tomatoes is lycopene.
This phytochemical helps fight off free radicals, too many of which can gang up and damage your cells. It also plays an important role in protecting your DNA from damage – a problem that can lead to cancer-causing mutations. A review published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that higher levels of lycopene in a person's diet lowered their risk of lung, stomach, and prostate cancers. In fact, lycopene has been shown to push the "self destruct" button in cancer cells.
A recent study in Frontiers in Nutrition, another systematic review and meta-analysis looked at hundreds of studies to determine the link between lycopene consumption and risk of getting cancer or dying early. The studies involved almost 2.7 million adults and had follow-up periods lasting as long as nearly three years.
Researchers found that higher lycopene levels in the blood were strongly linked to a lower risk of cancer and premature death by as much as 11% and 24%, respectively. Lung-cancer risk saw the biggest drop where high levels of lycopene in the blood were associated with a 35% lower risk of dying early from lung cancer.
One study found that lycopene could even help fight liver damage from drinking too much alcohol by encouraging your body to increase levels of CYP2E1, a protein involved in metabolizing alcohol.
Clinical studies have also found lycopene to wield anti-inflammatory powers, like decreasing levels of C-reactive and TNF-alpha proteins that are considered markers of inflammation in your body. Lycopene has also been shown to improve inflammation in asthma.
Heart disease and diabetes run rampant among older Americans, but adding lycopene to your diet could help stop those two health conditions in their tracks. Lycopene has been shown to bind to "bad," or LDL cholesterol, prevent blood clots and plaque buildup, and improve blood pressure – all of which mean you're less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. As for diabetes, lycopene can help you better manage your blood-sugar levels, too.
For older folks (like postmenopausal women) worried about osteoporosis, researchers are starting to think that lycopene could help reduce bone density loss.
(By the way, in yesterday's Retirement Millionaire, I wrote about the No. 1 cause of serious brain injuries in older Americans and how to prevent it. If you're not a subscriber to my flagship newsletter, click here for a trial subscription.)
As for how much lycopene you should consume each day to get the most benefits, research suggests aiming for between 8 milligrams and 21 milligrams.
Just as a reference, there's roughly 0.16 milligrams of lycopene in a 1 gram of tomato sauce and 0.14 milligrams of in 1 gram of ketchup.
While you've been hearing everywhere to avoid ultra-processed foods, it's the opposite with tomatoes if you want to reap its lycopene riches...
The more processed the tomato, the more lycopene you get...
That's because the mechanical and heat treatment of tomato allows for more lycopene released from the cells of the vegetable (or fruit, as some people debate). More important, you have more bioavailability (or how well your body absorbs and uses the nutrient) of lycopene in processed versus raw tomatoes.
For example, one study measured between 0.88 milligrams and 7.74 milligrams of lycopene per 100 grams of raw tomato whereas ketchup had 9.9 milligrams to 13.44 milligrams per 100 grams of ketchup.
On the other hand, I just love snacking on a hearty slab of freshly cut heirloom or beefsteak sprinkled with a bit of salt (which brings out the natural sweetness) or adding a generous number of slices as an acidic counterpoint to fatty, crispy bacon in the occasional BLT sandwich. While both preparations might not provide as much lycopene as pasta with classic red sauce, they do have more of another vital nutrient: vitamin C.
Vitamin C is another potent antioxidant that protects your cells from free radicals, of which a buildup can cause heart disease, cancer, and other major issues for your health. This vitamin also supports your blood vessels, cartilage, and muscle. You also need it to make collagen – a protein that provides structure to skin, helps blood clot, and strengthens bones.
So enjoy your tomatoes both ways, cooked or fresh.
Lastly, if you absolutely hate tomatoes, go for watermelon, which has even more – roughly 40% – lycopene than raw tomatoes do. A 1.5-cup serving of watermelon has roughly 9 to 13 milligrams of lycopene.
Tell us what your favorite tomato- or watermelon-based dishes are at feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com.
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Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
March 13, 2025