Discover lycopene, the natural antioxidant that gives tomatoes and red fruits a pretty scarlet color. This super nutrient is your health's ally: it plays a key role in the fight against free radicals and protects your body from a good number of diseases. Here are all the properties of this pigment with a thousand virtues!

What is lycopene?

An antioxidant from the carotenoid family, this substance is present in certain red fruits and vegetables. Lycopene is truly magical! It is beneficial for the skin. It is also useful for preventing certain cancers, a good number of cardiovascular diseases, and even Alzheimer's.

Presentation and description

As you will have understood, this antioxidant belongs to the carotenoid family. In this family, we find natural pigments of yellow or orange color, carotenes, and red pigments, lycopene. As this substance is insoluble in water, it is transported by blood lipids before accumulating in certain organs (the liver or the prostate).

Its origins

You may be wondering where this antioxidant comes from. It originated in South America. It was then introduced to Europe in the 16th century, with the arrival of the tomato. At that time, the star fruit of the summer was tiny! It was then improved by selecting varieties until obtaining the products available today at your market gardener.

What foods contain lycopene?

Unlike other carotenoids, this substance is present in a limited number of plants. It is found, for example, in tomatoes, watermelons and guavas. And that's not all! Its content varies considerably depending on the variety of fruits or vegetables selected. To be sure to buy products rich in lycopene, choose seasonal products, grown in open ground in a sunny place.

What are its health benefits?

As you can see, this substance is a powerful antioxidant. According to some analyses, this product helps prevent certain cancers, including prostate cancer.

Lycopene and the fight against certain cancers

In the case of prostate cancer, there is also a correlation between the amount of lycopene consumed and the occurrence of the disease. In other words, the more tomatoes or watermelons you eat, the lower your risk of cancer. And that's not all! Concentrated tomato extract could reduce the progression of cancer, or even alleviate symptoms such as pain or urination problems.

Furthermore, this antioxidant would be useful in the fight against breast cancer. According to a study carried out on post-menopausal women, the consumption of 25 mg of lycopene per day for 10 days would significantly reduce adiponectin, a hormone responsible for the disease.

Finally, this pigment could increase the diversity of the microbiota and prevent the appearance of certain bacteria that cause the development of liver cancers.

An antioxidant for the prevention of Alzheimer's

According to a team of French researchers from INSERM, lycopene could reduce the risks of Alzheimer's disease by opposing oxidative stress, which causes premature brain aging. In addition, this antioxidant substance could improve the fluidity between neuronal membranes and fight against memory loss.

Prevention of coronary heart disease

Another interesting point: lycopene helps reduce bad blood cholesterol. It limits its oxidation and counteracts the formation of atherosclerosis. Thanks to this, the risks of myocardial infarction or stroke are considerably reduced. In addition, the arteries retain their plasticity. They are flexible, which prevents the occurrence of high blood pressure.

Better protected skin

Want to have a glowing complexion? Looking for a natural solution to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun? Lycopene is for you! According to some studies, regularly consuming this antioxidant can reduce redness and sunburn.

Be careful though, to benefit from the magical effects of this exceptional product, you must combine it with other substances such as phytoene, phytofluene, or beta-carotene. In addition to these 3 carotenoids, take tocopherols. Are you wondering where to find these 3 active ingredients? Don't worry! They are present in most fruits and vegetables.

How to consume it to maximize its benefits?

As you can see, you need to use lycopene in combination with other carotenoids to enhance its effect. You should also add oil when preparing a tomato sauce to optimize the bioavailability of the antioxidant substance.

According to some epidemiological studies, a sufficient dietary intake of cooked tomatoes helps protect the body against certain diseases, including prostate and liver cancers. The more fruits and vegetables containing lycopene you eat, the greater the effects. Don't have much of an appetite? Don't worry! You can take lycopene capsules purchased at the pharmacy.

What are the risks, dangers, or contraindications of lycopene?

You may be wondering if there are any contraindications or dangers associated with consuming this antioxidant. Like all plant substances, beta-carotenes could interact with each other and potentiate or limit certain effects, depending on the case. That's not all! Taking certain medications that affect cholesterol or triglycerides could reduce blood levels of lycopene.