From: https://www.diseasewiki.com
Is it good for the skin to eat tomatoes regularly?
Tomatoes can be said to be the most common type of food. Tomatoes are rich in vitamins and can help us moisten the mouth and aid digestion. They are also beneficial for skin care and can have a good sun protection effect as well as antioxidant and anti-aging effects.
What are the benefits of eating tomatoes for the skin? Tomatoes are rich in vitamins, and their benefits for skin care are undoubtedly effective. Not only can tomatoes moisten the mouth and aid digestion, but they also have sun protection effects. Studies have shown that among various natural carotenoids, lycopene has the strongest ability to clear reactive oxygen species, and has the effect of preventing various epithelial cancers such as prostate cancer and lung cancer. The concentration of lycopene in human blood is inversely proportional to the incidence of cancer.
Tomatoes contain more than 20 types of carotenoids, such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, with lycopene accounting for about 80% to 90%. It can be said that tomatoes are a natural warehouse of lycopene. Tomatoes contain a large amount of lycopene, carotenoids, and various trace elements, with strong antioxidant capacity and significant sun protection effects, making tomatoes the best sun protection food. Tomatoes also contain malic acid, citric acid, and sugars, which can moisten the mouth, quench thirst, strengthen the stomach, and aid digestion, and have a certain effect on alleviating indigestion and loss of appetite. In addition, tomatoes have the effects of preventing and treating cancer, beautifying the skin, and delaying aging.
Lycopene and beta-carotene are both fat-soluble components, especially fond of fats. Tomatoes have a high acidity, which is beneficial for maintaining the stability of vitamin C, and the loss after heating and cooking is not significant. Therefore, it is best to eat tomatoes after they are stir-fried. Tomatoes can also be eaten raw. Although the absorption rate of lycopene and beta-carotene is low, nutrients such as vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, and dietary fiber can still play a role. Moreover, since no oil or salt is added, they are low in calories and sodium, making them healthier.
Tomatoes contain a large amount of pectin and other components that are prone to undergo chemical reactions with stomach acid, forming indissolvable lumps. Eating tomatoes on an empty stomach can easily cause stomach bloating and pain, therefore, it is not advisable to eat tomatoes on an empty stomach. Moreover, tomatoes are cool and cold in nature, and people with weak spleen and stomach should control the amount of raw tomatoes consumed appropriately. When tomatoes are processed or cooked, the double bonds in the lycopene molecules will change from trans to cis structure when heated, causing the lycopene molecules to bend, which is easy for the human body to absorb.
