Long loved for their slimming powers in diets, tomatoes, the "rubies of the garden" are increasingly being touted as a juicy weapon in lowering the risk of cancer.
Writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers at Boston's Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women's Hospital say the "beneficial compounds" found in tomatoes may contribute to their anti-cancer properties. That translated to a 40 percent reduction in risk of developing a wide range of cancers in 35 out of 75 studies, the researchers say.
Lead study author Dr. Edward Giovannuci says it appears tomato intake was linked to a reduction in the incidence of cancers of the pancreas, colon, rectum, esophagus, oral cavity, breast, cervix, lung, prostate and stomach.
Tomatoes are rich in the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which scientists suggest may provide a clue to the vegetable's benefits. But researchers also say that numerous "other potentially beneficial compounds are present in tomatoes, and conceivably, complex interactions among multiple components may contribute to the anti-cancer properties of tomatoes."
