How to turn tomato juice into a rainbow (video)
(American Chemical Society) How can you turn tomato juice into a rainbow of color? Chem-lapsed is a series of striking, chemistry-themed time-lapses produced by C&EN. In the premiere episode, we demonstrate the tomato juice rainbow reaction. Bromine slowly changes some of the bonds in the molecule lycopene, which is what makes tomato juice red, ultimately creating a fantastic chemical rainbow. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - July 14, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news

The Health Benefits of Sweet vs. Regular Potatoes
Why do sweet potatoes get "superfood" status while regular potatoes are vilified? Here's why both tubers deserve a place on your plate. It's time to set the record straight on spuds. In recent years, and in certain "healthy eating" circles, the sweet potato has been crowned a "superfood" while the regular potato has been treated like the bad guy. High carb, high glycemic index, loaded with antinutrients? Is the plain old potato really so bad? Here's the real deal: Both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes deserve a place in your diet. You can eat both as part of a well-balanced, whole food diet and still have a lean ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - April 8, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Lycopene may ward off kidney cancer in older women
A higher intake by postmenopausal women of the natural antioxidant lycopene, found in foods like tomatoes, watermelon and papaya, may lower the risk of renal cell carcinoma...03/03/2015 (Source: Kidney Cancer Association)
Source: Kidney Cancer Association - March 3, 2015 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news

Lycopene may ward off kidney cancer in older women
A higher intake by postmenopausal women of the natural antioxidant lycopene, found in foods like tomatoes, watermelon and papaya, may lower the risk of renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer, scientists report. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - March 2, 2015 Category: Science Source Type: news

Lycopene may ward off kidney cancer in older women
(Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research) A higher intake by postmenopausal women of the natural antioxidant lycopene, found in foods like tomatoes, watermelon and papaya, may lower the risk of renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer. (Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer)
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - March 2, 2015 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news

Lycopene inversely linked to renal cell carcinoma
For postmenopausal women, lycopene intake seems to be inversely associated with the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to a study published in the Feb. 15 issue of Cancer.02/17/2015 (Source: Kidney Cancer Association)
Source: Kidney Cancer Association - February 17, 2015 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news

Tomato-rich diet 'reduces prostate cancer risk'
Conclusion This large study has shown an association between the consumption of more than 10 portions of tomatoes per week and an 18% reduction in risk of prostate cancer. However, as this was a case controlled study, and not a randomised controlled trial, it cannot prove that eating more tomatoes prevents prostate cancer. Strengths of the study include its large size and attempts to account for potential confounding factors, although there are some limitations to the study, including: reliance on the accuracy of the dietary questionnaires broad categories for self-estimate of body size This study does not prov...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 28, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet Cancer Source Type: news

Tomato extract effects exaggerated
ConclusionThis study found that the blood vessels in people with cardiovascular disease who were taking statins dilated more after they were treated with a chemical called acetylcholine if they had been taking lycopene every day for two months, compared to those taking placebo pills.The lycopene tablet had no significant effect on any of the other outcomes the researchers looked at, and no effect in healthy volunteers, although it did increase lycopene levels in the blood.  Although impaired endothelial function is a known predictor of future heart disease, this is, at best, a surrogate outcome. It is no substitute for fo...
Source: NHS News Feed - June 10, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Food/diet Source Type: news

Tomato extract's heart effects exaggerated
ConclusionThis study found that the blood vessels in people with cardiovascular disease who were taking statins dilated more after they were treated with a chemical called acetylcholine if they had been taking lycopene every day for two months, compared to those taking placebo pills.The lycopene tablet had no significant effect on any of the other outcomes the researchers looked at, and no effect in healthy volunteers, although it did increase lycopene levels in the blood.  Although impaired endothelial function is a known predictor of future heart disease, this is, at best, a surrogate outcome. It is no substitute for fo...
Source: NHS News Feed - June 10, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Food/diet Source Type: news

Ateronon pills can increase blood vessel flow by 50% in patients with cardiac problems
A single Ateronon pill contains as much lycopene as more than 2lb of the fruit, was created by scientists working for a Cambridge University spin-out company. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Source: the Mail online | Health - June 10, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Tomato extract relieves damaged arteries, finds Cambridge study
Researchers say they have shown that lycopene improves the function of blood vessels in cardiovascular disease patientsA substance found in tomatoes relieves impairment of blood vessels, which may explain why people who eat a Mediterranean diet have a notably reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, according to a study.A supplement of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which is 10 times more potent than vitamin E, improved and normalised function of the endothelium (the inner lining of blood vessels) in volunteers with cardiovascular disease, researchers from the University of Cambridge found. Continue reading... (Sourc...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - June 9, 2014 Category: Science Authors: Haroon Siddique Tags: Medical research Science Fruit Vegetables Diets and dieting Food & drink Life and style Statins Health Society UK news World news Source Type: news

Tomato extract relieves damaged arteries, finds Cambridge study
Researchers say they have shown that lycopene improves the function of blood vessels in cardiovascular disease patients Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - June 9, 2014 Category: Science Authors: Haroon Siddique Tags: Medical research Science Fruit Vegetables Diets and dieting Food & drink Life and style Statins Health Society UK news World news Source Type: news

Key compound in tomatoes could help male fertility as it boosts sperm count by 70%
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio say lycopene improves sperm count and sperm swimming speed and reduces the number of abnormal sperm. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Source: the Mail online | Health - May 6, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy Detection of Chlorophylls and Carotenoids in Chloroplasts and Chromoplasts of Tomato Fruit
Plant cells are unique among eukaryotic cells because of the presence of plastids, including chloroplasts and chromoplasts. Chloroplasts are found in green tissues and harbor the photosynthetic machinery (including chlorophyll molecules), while chromoplasts are present in non-photosynthetic tissues and accumulate large amounts of carotenoids. During tomato fruit development, chloroplasts are converted into chromoplasts that accumulate high levels of lycopene, a linear carotenoid responsible for the characteristic red color of ripe fruit. Here, we describe a simple and fast method to detect both types of fully differentiate...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Plant Sciences - May 1, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: news

Nitrogen management studied in greenhouse pepper production
Bell pepper was used in a study designed to reduce environmental pollution by increasing nitrogen use efficiency. Nitrogen was applied at four different concentrations to two pepper cultivars. Results showed that nitrogen treatments had no significant negative impacts on fruit physical or chemical quality, including sugar content and acidity. Reduced nitrogen applications did not affect nutritional components of the peppers such as beta-carotene and lycopene content, nor did they reduce antioxidant activity. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - January 31, 2014 Category: Science Source Type: news