Top 5 Healthy Foods series first article –  Check back for future posts to read more about my top 5 healthy foods.

Benefits of Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes are better for you than you may have thought. They support vision and heart health and cancer prevention. Tomatoes contain all four major carotenoids: alpha-carotene and beta-carotene (vitamin A), lutein, and lycopene. They are also another source for the much needed mineral potassium that most people lack.

Lycopene is one of the most powerful antioxidants for the body. Cooked tomatoes are preferable providing over six times the lycopene than eating fresh tomatoes. The cooking breaks down the cell walls of the tomato making it easier to absorb the lycopene into the body.

Tip: Consuming 10 tablespoons of tomato sauce each week may decrease the risk of prostate cancer by 31 percent in men.   Read more →