Spaghetti with tomato paste Scientists have found thatvolunteers who received five tablespoons of tomato paste a day improved their skin's protection from ultraviolet rays, which are likely to cause premature aging and even skin cancer. Scientists from the Universities of Manchester and Newcastle suggest that the main component of tomatoes, which enhances the skin's defense, is the antioxidant lycopene. Its concentration increases when tomatoes are cooked. The study involved two groups of ten volunteers. For three months, one was given fifty-five grams of tomato paste every day (for its preparation, tomatoes are boiled for a long time) and ten grams of olive oil. The second group was given only olive oil. Three months later, skin samples from those who ate tomato paste showed thirty-three percent more procollagen, which protects against sunburn and gives skin strength. This increase in procollagen levels is comparable to very low factor sunscreen. “The tomato diet raised procollagen significantly. This suggests the possibility of reversing the aging process of the skin. We didn’t give too many tomatoes to our group of volunteers, ”says Leslie Rhodes, a dermatologist at the University of Manchester. At the same time, scientists emphasize that tomatoes should be seen more as a useful addition, rather than a replacement for sunscreen. In addition, the study was small in both the number of volunteers and the duration, and the results need to be verified. "Although the protection offered by lycopene is weak, research suggests that a diet high in antioxidant-rich tomatoes can provide additional sun protection," commented Dr. Colin Holden of the British Dermatology Association. Notably, ketchup, another tomato-based product, has served itself well.
