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Lycopene And Flavoniods

Have you had some Salsa today? Benefits of onions and tomatoes
in your diet.

Onions and tomatoes are among the most commonly used vegetables
in many parts of the world today. We use them because they taste
good and give good consistency to our food. We use them as
sauces and salsas, chutneys and pickles, and important
ingredients in our main dishes, but are you aware of the
beneficial nutrients that lie hidden in these foods?

Lycopene- have you had your tomato today?

What is Lycopene? Lycopene is found in tomatoes and other red
fruit. It is a bright red carotenoid and is a powerful
antioxidant.

How does it help you? Antioxidants are very useful to the body
as they repair damaged cells and aid the immune system.

Lycopene has also been licensed as a food coloring. It is not
water-soluble which also makes it useful for non-food items. It
is especially effective on plastic, only bleach destroys
Lycopene dye on this medium.

Lycopene is found mainly in tomatoes, but can also be found in
rosehip, guava, pink grapefruit and watermelon. It depends in
what form you take tomatoes as to the amount of Lycopene your
body will be able to absorb. Cooking tomatoes enables you to
absorb more than if they are raw. For example a raw tomato will
give you 8mg but one serving of tomato juice 22.9 mg. Spaghetti
sauce will give you 20mg per serving. Heat is the factor that
enables the Lycopene in tomatoes to be absorbed into your body.


Onions are good for your diet because- they contain many
chemicals that can help the immune system and aid the body
fight against disease. Research has shown that different
varieties are more potent than others. For example shallots (a
small variety in the onion family), western yellow and New York
Bold are higher in phenolic and flavoniod content. This means
they have a higher concentrate of anti toxins. It was generally
found that stronger onions have the most flavoniods

It is not surprising that onions are the 2nd largest crop grown
throughout the world today. They are fairly easy to grow and can
be grown in a wide variety of climates. They can even be grown
in containers for home use. In cold weather you can grow early
spring onions and shallots when the weather gets warm you can
let the onions mature into full sized onions for pungent
flavorings and delicious chutneys. Their value has been known
since ancient times. They have been and still are an important
addition to every cook's kitchen.

So next time you are ready to enjoy your favorite meal do not
forget the Salsa. Or if you do not want the Mexican look try
some good old fashioned ketchup or some tart little pickled
onions. However you eat these versatile vegetables you can be
sure that you will be improving your health and vitality when
you do so.


About The Author: Zach Thompson is a Glyconutrients Consultant.
His clients range from pro athletes and actresses, to cancer
patients and children with Learning Disabilities. Learn more at
http://www.nutritionalreview.com/79.php

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