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Summary Scientists say tomatoes can help to keep skin looking young and safe from sun damage.
Tests have shown that eating tomato paste could help protect against sunburn and skin ageing caused by sunlight exposure. The age-defying ingredient is lycopene - the natural pigment that makes tomatoes red - with highest levels found in processed or cooked tomatoes used in ketchup, paste, soup and juice.In the study, women eating a diet rich in processed tomatoes had increased skin protection, as seen by a reduction in skin redness and less DNA damage from ultraviolet (UV) exposure.Researchers compared the skin of 20 women, half of whom were given five tablespoons (55g) of standard tomato paste with 10g of olive oil every day for 12 weeks. The effects on their skin were compared with the remaining volunteers, aged between 21 and 47, eating just olive oil for the same length of time.The researchers found significant improvement in the skin’s ability to protect itself against UV among those eating tomatoes paste. Compared with the other women, the tomato-eating group had 33 per cent more protection against sunburn in the form of less redness.
