Lycopene a phytonutrient, is the bright red pigment found in tomatoes, rosehip fruit and other red fruit and vegetables excluding strawberries and cherries. However there are some fruit and vegetables that not red in colour but still contain lycopene such as asparagus and parsley. Lycopene in rosehip and in other fruits have found to have numerous health benefits.
Phytonutrients are antioxidants found freely and plant life which fight off or reduce free Radicals from harming cells in our bodies.
Lycopene in Rosehip Health Benefits
Heart Disease and prostate cancer
Lycopene can have potential positive effects on in reducing the chance of heart disease and prostate cancer and people across the globe.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the leading factors concerning deaths of men in the USA that is always an ongoing process to find new ways to help fight this deadly illness.
A study performed by Dr. Edward Giovannucci of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health Consuming foods with a high lycopene volume can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Even though earlier studies showed that a high intake of lycopene from tomatoes are Rose hips had no positive effect in reducing the chances of prostate cancer, recent modern studies have shown just the opposite.
49,900 men between the ages of 40 and 75 years of age were enrolled to be part of a study from 1986 to 2010 where their dietary And lifestyle habits who recorded, And found that the consumption of lycopene reduce the risk of prostate cancer by around 20% of these participants.
Blood Pressure
A study was performed in Finland with around a thousand middle aged men Between ages of 45 and 65, which showed not only to help control blood pressure that reduce chances of strokes by to 57%.
Alzheimer’s
in the US there fun growing evidence (case study) that if there is high concentration of lycopene in the blood It was slow down damage to brain cells and also protect nerve cells
Diabetic pain treatment
there’s a certain type of diabetic pain Known as Diabetic neuropathic pain (case study) Which is the most difficult types of pain to treat. Test results show that lycopene can help to reduce this type of pain in diabetic patients
Epilepsy
Studies have shown that lycopene assists in repairing damaged brain cells which have been damaged due to the lack of oxygen whilst patients are undergoing epilepsy seizures (case study). The studies also show that lycopene can actually help to reduce epileptic seizures.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis
There were significant improvement in bone mass ,Bone strength and bone make-up In rat patients receiving oral daily intake of lycopene (case study). This phytonutrient also slows The bone cell death which causes osteoporosis.
Most of us get a intake of lycopene to our basic diet but can be supplemented by the intake of condiments such as tomato sauce or rosehip jam or syrup which will be high in lycopene.
What to eat
so what can you eat to ensure that you keep the levels of lycopene up in your bloodstream, here is a list of fruits and vegetables which contain high levels of lycopene:
- Tomato paste
- tomato soup
- rosehip jams
- rosehip syrups
- raw tomatoes
- tomato based salads
- And grapefruits
How much do I need
Although it is not known exactly what your recommended daily allowance (RDA) is of lycopene to have a therapeutic effect on prostate cancer prevention, study suggests that between 6 and 15 mg per day would be sufficient.
So when could have a glass of tomato juice in the morning for breakfast and this would give you around 25 mg of lycopene.
Also Used as food colouring
The Phytonutrient is so powerful that it is used in the USA as food colouring and is quite difficult to get out of your cookware and clothing.