The humble tomato could be the key to more effective sun protection. Tomatoes contain Lycopene - which is a potent antioxidant that could potentially protect the skin whilst in the sun and helps skin that is already suffering substantial sun damage. Lycopene is found in tomatoes and other red fruits (it provides the red colour) but its concentration is particularly high in cooked tomato products like tomato sauces and tomato puree/paste, even ketchup!
There is lycopene in raw tomatoes but not nearly as much as cooked tomatoes, organic varieties has proved to contain more than the quickly grown varieties. In a small controlled study carried out by Newcastle and Manchester universities, women were given 55g of tomato paste each day (to eat, no spreading of tomato puree on the skin please!) for 12 weeks. The skin protection against sunburn increased by 30% in the women. So combined with topical UVA and UVB protection it could offer greater benefits for your skin while in the sun. So when you’re on holiday boost your skin’s protection by indulging in lots of tomato based dishes and sauces, very tasty!
Grow your own! – It is so easy, believe me if I can do it then anyone can! I grow a variety that I can plant in hanging baskets – Tumbling Tom and hundreds and thousands, they require no pinching out or fiddling with and produces loads of sweet juicy cherry tomatoes! Use them for sauces, or put them on pizzas, home grown toms will contain more lycopene than shop bought ones, as you let them grow at their natural speed and the Lycopene has time to develop.
Suttons Seeds have a wonderful choice of Tomato plants and seeds
My latest food phase is cherry tomatoes which I buy bags at a time. My favourite recipe is throw 1 bag into a small frying pan, pour over herb infused olive oil and cook for 10 mins. Turn off the heat and then serve as is, or sprinkle with Goats Cheese as the pan and tomatoes cool down … love it! I live in Spain and this is just a new phase in recent weeks when the heat and sun is becoming hotter and hotter, so I think maybe this is my bodies natural response to sun defence (just my opinion). As they say in Spain ¡Que aproveche!
I love a good tommy tarto.
Sweet cherry tomatoes or baby plum tomatoes are best. I think theyre always sweeter than the bigger ones and I always noticed that tomatoes help to clear my skin. Probably due to the lycopene anti-oxidant. Interestingly, cooking them actually enhances the lycopene content – the phytochemical that gives them their colour …. Love ‘em in a cheese and tommy sandwich with Lo-salt and plenty of black pepper! MMMMMMMM