Lycopene
This ingredient can be found in: Pop A Purple | Pop A Green
Lycopene is a red carotenoid pigment found in tomatoes and red fruits such as watermelon, papaya, pink grapefruit, and pink guava. It is a potent antioxidant and can prevent free radical damage to cells.
Lycopene accumulates in the prostate gland, where it helps maintain prostate health. Lycopene has also been shown to be effective against breast, and ovarian cancers. Lycopene is can fight cancer in several ways. It is able to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells, as well as inhibit tumor growth and metastasis.
Consumption of lycopene reduces risk of cardiovascular disease – coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and heart attack. Lycopene promotes cardiovascular health in several ways. It reduces blood lipid levels by inhibiting the generation of cholesterol and increasing the breakdown of LDL cholesterol. Lycopene also promotes healthy blood vessels, and appears to reduce the levels of inflammatory C-reactive protein. Accordingly, a large multinational study revealed that men with the highest levels of lycopene stored in their fat tissues have the lowest risk for heart attack.
Other potential biological actions of lycopene include immune system and hormonal stimulation. Finally, lycopene consumption may help normalize blood glucose levels, offering protection against diabetes.
References
- Arab L, Steck S. Lycopene and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Jun;71(6 Suppl):1691S-5S; discussion 1696S-7S. View Source
- Donaldson MS. Nutrition and cancer: a review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet. Nutr J. 2004 Oct 20;3:19. View Source
- Heber D. Vegetables, fruits and phytoestrogens in the prevention of diseases. J Postgrad Med. 2004 Apr-Jun;50(2):145-9. View Source
- Lycopene. Altern Med Rev. 2003 Aug;8(3):336-42. View Source
- Syed DN, Khan N, Afaq F, Mukhtar H. Chemoprevention of prostate cancer through dietary agents: progress and promise. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Nov;16(11):2193-203. View Source
- Sesso HD, Liu S, Gaziano JM, Buring JE. Dietary lycopene, tomato-based food products and cardiovascular disease in women. J Nutr. 2003 Jul;133(7):2336-41. View Source




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