The Daily Me
Holistic Heath Tip of the Week
Compiled by Donna Kraft- Smith, L.M.T.

A study suggests lycopene - a beneficial substance found in cooked tomatoes, tomato juice and paste - offers protection against prostate cancer whether ingested as lycopene-rich, red tomato paste or purified lycopene supplements.

Lycopene-free yellow tomato paste offered no protection. Prostate cancer cells were incubated in the blood taken from thirty volunteers who had been taking these three different items.

Specific prostate cancer-linked proteins were measured to judge protective effect. Best food sources of lycopene are processed tomatoes, watermelons and pink grapefruit.

Released April 14, the study will appear in a future issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.