You Say Tomato

I know many people who won't enjoy a good old fashion BLT sandwhich because they don't like tomatoes (and really, a BL just isn't the same.) Well, I have found a reason, other than BLT's, to eat tomatoes. Lycopene, a carotenoids found in tomatoes, as well as watermelon, pink grapefruit and red bell peppers, has been associated with some level of protection against losses in bone mineral density at the lumbar spine in women and at the hip in men. The carotenoids may play a protective role in skeletal health via their antioxidant activity. As the population ages and waistlines continues to grow, so does the number of people affected by osteoporosis, increasing the necessity of agents such as lycopene.
Lycopene has also been associated with reduced incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration.

I think I have decided what to have for lunch!

-Community Assistant