Cancer is one of the diseases that plagues mankind the most. It occurs when our DNA degrades, and our cells begin to mutate while reproducing. They then to reproduce out of control and eventually develop into tumors and cysts that kill us. We have developed all types of methods for treating cancer once we have it. Billions of dollars have gone into researching how to treat cancer. But the best form of treatment is actually to prevent getting cancer in the first place. This of course means avoiding things that can cause cancer like smoking cigarettes. But it also involves including certain foods in your diet that naturally prevent cancer.
How Tomatoes Help Fight Cancer
One of the best cancer fighting foods available is the tomato. Tomatoes are the perfect fruit to make the mainstay of your cancer fighting arsenal. It is especially good at preventing particular cancers such as, lung, colon, and liver cancer. This is primarily due to the high lycopene content found in tomatoes.
Lycopene is the phytochemical compound responsible for the tomato’s signature red color. The compound protects the tomato plant from the stress caused by sunlight exposure. But when consumed by humans, lycopene functions as an antioxidant which specifically counters the harm caused by free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecule that damages vital biological structures in your cells. Antioxidants restrain the damage caused by free radicals b chemically neutralizing them. Besides helping to prevent the development of cancer, it also helps to resist and prevent certain other devastating diseases, like cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other issues caused by LDL “bad” cholesterol.
What Else Can You Eat?
If you can’t eat tomatoes, whether because you just don’t like them or they are not available to you, then try getting lycopene from other fruits and veggies, such as guava, watermelon, papaya, grapefruit, and red peppers.
