Hunt's, Healthy Living, and Lycopene

Sure, tomatoes taste great and play a vital and versatile role in meal preparation, but did you know just how good they are for you? Tomatoes contain many nutrients, including vitamins C and B-complex and important minerals like iron and potassium.

But perhaps the most exciting nutrient found in tomatoes is lycopene (LY-ko-peen), the pigment that gives them their red color. Lycopene is a carotenoid and has antioxidant properties (a more familiar member of the carotenoid family is beta carotene). More information on the potential health benefits of antioxidants can be found at the website of the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.

Tomatoes are one of the richest sources of lycopene in our diets. Fresh tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, but scientists have discovered that more lycopene is absorbed from cooked or processed tomatoes than from raw ones*. Lycopene in tomatoes is converted by the temperature change involved in processing which allows the body to absorb it more easily.

How's that for another great reason to get cooking with the great taste of Hunt's? Be sure to check back to this page often for the freshest good news about tomatoes and your health.