One 2014 study showed that men who ate over 10 portions of this food per week had an 18% lower risk of developing prostate cancer
A Harvard expert has shed light on the little-known benefits of a common fruit that could help in the fight against cancer. Katherine D. McManus, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston, shared her insights in a blog post, while drawing to various ‘superfood’ recipes you can eat on a daily basis.
While there’s no specific definition of superfoods, such items are typically packed with a wealth of vitamins and minerals. Foods like nuts, leafy greens, yoghurt and even olive oil are among those recommended by Katherine, though one in particular was praised in regards to prostate cancer prevention.
“Tomatoes,” Katherine wrote in 2022. “These are high in vitamin C and lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer… Try tomatoes in a salad or as a tomato sauce over your pasta. You can also put them in stews, soups, or chili.”
Katherine certainly isn’t alone in her views either. In 2014, the University of Bristol claimed that men who ate over 10 tomato portions per week had an 18% lower risk of developing prostate cancer.
This impressive effect is believed to be courtesy of ‘lycopene’, an antioxidant known to shield DNA, lipids, and proteins from harm. What’s more, is that cooking tomatoes may amplify this protection even further, according to Helen Bell, a nutritionist at Help & Advice.
She told the Mirror: “There is evidence suggesting that tomatoes might lower prostate cancer risk, largely due to lycopene. This antioxidant is thought to reduce inflammation and prevent cancer cell growth. When I’ve looked into it, cooking tomatoes seems to increase lycopene availability, so enjoying them in sauces or soups might be particularly beneficial.”
Despite this, it’s important to stress that research is still ongoing. In 2020, a World Cancer Research Fund study found ‘no significant association between prostate cancer and consumption of raw tomatoes, tomato soup, tomato sauce and tomato-based vegetable juice’.
Yet, findings did show that men who ate canned and cooked tomatoes around five or six time per week had a 28% slashed risk of prostate cancer when compared to those who didn’t. Amidst this, Helen added: I think the term ‘superfood’ is often thrown around, but it generally refers to foods with high nutrient content.
“However, in my view, no single food can guarantee health, and a varied diet is crucial. ‘Superfoods’ can be part of a healthy diet, but balance, as usual, is essential.”
You can buy a pack of six tomatoes for as little as 99p at Tesco. Loose tomatoes are also available in different shapes and sizes at various other supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s for £1.75 each and 89p at Morrisons.
