The Season of Lycopene

For most of the U.S., we are smack dab in the season of the tomato.
I seem awfully excited about the tomato and frankly, you should be as
well.

Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene. Lycopene is a plant pigment
that gives tomatoes their red color. It's significant because it has
been shown through extensive research, to ward off heart disease,
improve immune function and fight off cancers of the lung, prostate,
breast, digestive tract and cervix. That's quite a big resume for such
a small fruit (yeah, a tomato is a fruit, go figure.)

If you are not a fan of raw tomatoes, don't think you're gonna miss
out on this nutritional dynamo. Cooked tomatoes are actually better at
delivering lycopene to your system. So don't forget tomato paste, pasta
sauce and salsa.

Right now is a great time to get more tomatoes, and therefore,
lycopene into your body. It's a simple effort that could yield advanced
health results!

~ Kerren Lynch-Gallagher