Tomatoes as sunscreen?
Researchers at the University of Newcastle in the U.K. found that eating tomato paste can help prevent sunburn.
Volunteers participating in a 12-week study were asked to consume five tablespoons of tomato paste daily, and researchers found that these volunteers were 33 percent more protected against sunlight than the control group.
Scientists urge people still to use sunscreen as the tomato paste only provided research subjects with the equivalent of a 1.3 SPF sun protectant.
Researches point to the antioxidant lycopene, which is present in tomatoes, as an anti-burn agent when ingested.
Lycopene gives tomatoes their vibrant red color and has the power to neutralize the harmful rays of the sun upon the skin.
The new research also suggests that tomato paste can prevent premature aging of the skin, such as wrinkles. Tomatoes have an agent that boosts procollagen levels in the skin, which aids in skin elasticity.
Past research links cooked tomatoes, rather than fresh, with much higher lycopene levels. So it might be better to eat pizza or pasta rather than a salad with fresh tomatoes if you're looking for sun protection benefits.
Past research has also linked the lycopene found in tomatoes with prevention against macular degeneration, which causes vision loss. Bad cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol, can be blocked by lycopene as well.
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