Tomatoes have been shown to be helpful in reducing the risk of prostrate cancer. In contrast to many other good phytonutrients, whose effects have only been studied in animals, lycopena from tomatoes has been repeatedly studied in humans and found to be protective against a growing list of cancers. These cancers now include colorectal, breast, endometrial, lung and pancreatic cancers.

Tomatoes have lycopene which is helpful in preventing also managing some cancers, particularly prostate cancer, and may confer some protection against cardiovascular disease. Good thing I love tomatoes! It reduces the risks of having cancer.

What about tomato or vegetable juice? And what if you cook them? Do you still get the benefits? The only time I ever eat raw tomatoes whole, is during the fall when the cherry tomatoes are ripe. I'm a big fan of the vegetable juice though, so hopefully i'm getting these added benefits.

Personally, I hate tomatos. But they have been proven to do a lot of good for you health-wise. I just eat a lot of lot of ketchup. I've heard rumors that some president 30 years ago actually made ketchup an official "fruit/vegetable" so that schools could meet their food pyramid requirements. Don't know if that's true or not though.

Very good information.

Lycopene gives fruits/vegetables their red color. Not only the tomato, other fruits such as watermelon, pink grape fruit, papaya, and guava also contain lycopene. Of course deep red tomatoes contain more lycopene than others.

Due to its antioxidant properties, lycopene blocks the destructive effect of free radicals in the body. It seems to stimulate the immune system to battle cancer cells. In other way, it interferes with ?growth factor? that stimulates cancer. Apart from cancer, it also reduce the risk of CAD.

So, everyone should eat deep red tomatoes everyday to lower the risk of cancer and other disease as well.