However, based on recent evidence, many health professionals now advocate a diet rich in processed tomato products. Rosehip, red grapefruit, guava and watermelon also contain lycopene, however processed tomato products are usually the highest sources of dietary lycopene. At present, health regulatory authorities do not recognize lycopene as a nutrient. More detailed population studies of lycopene and wide-ranging clinical and biological research are needed to establish any direct health benefits. Several such studies are now underway in different parts of the world.
Researchers hope to determine the role tomato products and lycopene play in disease prevention.
However because the early research indicates that consumption of lycopene shows great promise in reducing the risk of several diseases, including heart disease and certain types of cancer, more and more medical professionals recommend the consumption of lycopene-rich tomato products. Current studies are looking at the relationship between dietary lycopene, oxidative stress and cancer risk. The studies will further examine the role of lycopene as an antioxidant in preventing cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, cervix, lung and digestive tract as well as cardiovascular disease and degenerative diseases of the eye. This website will provide ongoing information into lycopene and the research results of studies from around the globe. It will be updated each month.