Lycopene: A Valuable Bioactive Molecule
2021
Guiné, Raquel P. F. | Limas, M. J. | Castelão, D. | Okpala, C. | Korzeniowska, M. | Florença, S.
As a response to external stress, to prevent damage caused by reaction oxygen species (ROS) in the plant cells, they generate antioxidant molecules able to help them fight those adverse conditions. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found mostly in red fruits and vegetables such as tomato, watermelon or grapefruit. The intake of this bioactive compound has been associated with many health benefits, and therefore the objective of this chapter is to discuss the role of lycopene for an improved health, while also highlighting the most valuable natural sources of this molecule. The results of the review showed that tomato and tomato products are among the richest sources of lycopene, and that some processing operations can in fact enhance the lycopene content and bioavailability, by favoring the transformation of trans into cis forms of lycopene, better absorbed by the human body. Regarding the health effects, it was found scientific evidence of the beneficial action of lycopene on a variety of diseases, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, vascular health, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.
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