The SuperFoods The Power of Red
The Power of Red |
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 Table of Contents Lycopene, a member of the carotenoid family and a pigment that contributes to the red color of tomatoes, is a major contributor to their health promoting power. Lycopene has demonstrated a range of unique and distinct biological properties that have intrigued scientists. Some researchers have come to believe that lycopene could be as powerful an antioxidant as beta-carotene. We do know that lycopene is the most efficient quencher of the free-radical singlet oxygen, a particularly deleterious form of oxygen, and lycopene is also capable of scavenging a large number of free radicals. Lycopene is a nutrient whose time in the spotlight has come. It’s been the subject of great interest lately as more and more researchers have focused on the particular power of this nutrient. The attention began in the i98os when studies started to reveal that people who ate large amounts of tomatoes were far less likely to die from all forms of cancer compared with those who ate little or no tomatoes. Many other studies echoed the positive findings about the effect of eating tomatoes. It’s not only cancer that the lycopene in tomatoes helps mitigate. Lycopene is an important part of the antioxidant defense network in the skin, and dietary lycopene by itself or in combination with other nutrients can raise the sun protection factor (SPF) of the skin. In other words, by eating tomatoes (in this case, cooked or processed tomatoes) you’re enhancing your skin’s ability to withstand the assault from the damaging rays of the sun. It acts like an internal sunblock! Perhaps you’ve heard of the nun study in which Dr. David Snowdon of the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky assessed eighty-eight Roman Catholic nuns ranging in age from 77 to 98. The nuns with the highest blood concentrations of lycopene were the most able to care for themselves and complete everyday tasks. Overall, those with the highest levels of lycopene were 3.6 times better able to function in their everyday lives than those with the lowest levels. Most interestingly, no similar relationship between vigor und the presence of other antioxidants (such as vitamin E and beta-carotene) was found. Lycopene is rare in foods, and tomatoes are one of only a few that are rich in this powerful antioxidant. Indeed, ketchup, tomato juice, and pizza sauce account for more than 80 percent of the total lycopene intake of Americans. While lycopene has received a lot of attention recently, tomatoes are rich in a wide variety of nutrients, which seem to work synergistically to promote health and vitality. Low in calories, high in fiber, and high in potassium, tomatoes are not only a rich source of lycopene. They are also a source of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and various polyphenols. They contain small amounts of B vitamins (thiamine, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, and niacin), as well as folate, vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, and zinc. It’s the synergy of this multitude of nutrients, as well as the special power of lycopene, that boosts tomatoes to a spot in the all-star SuperFood pantheon. |
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What is a “Super Food”? Well, the most important thing for everyone to know is that superfoods are easy to find in every local supermarket. They’re worth looking for! These nutritional powerhouse foods are loaded with nutrients crucial to a healthy, long life. If you can include a variety of them in your diet, everyday, we promise they will change your life! These foods were chosen because they contain high concentrations of crucial nutrients, as well as the fact that many of them are low in calories. Foods containing these nutrients have been proven to help prevent and, in some cases, reverse the well-known effects of aging, including cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes, hypertension and certain cancers. When you click on each superfood you’ll find information including a list of the primary nutrients that elevated them to superfood status. This is not meant to be a complete list of every single nutrient that food contains, but rather, a list of the high-profile nutrients that have shown health benefits and that are present in that food in sufficient quantity to make a difference. Many of the superfoods have “Sidekicks”. These are foods that are generally in the same category as the flagship superfood and offer a similar nutrient profile. So click around and find recipes and tips on how to incorporate these foods in your daily diet. SUPERFOODSRX PRINCIPLES: Principle 1: SuperFoodsRx- the best diet in the world Principle 2: Super Foods are whole foods Principle 3: SuperFoods Rx equals synergy Principle 4: SuperFoods Rx are simple and positive |
