Tomatoes Helpful In Fight Against Prostate Cancer, Says Nutritionist

A Lagos-based nutritionist, Mrs. Grace Odinaka, said yesterday that consumption of tomatoes could help reduce the risk of cancer.

Odinaka, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Divine Release Nursing Home, Ojo, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

She told NAN that a lot of people have relegated the importance of tomatoes and that some, especially children, are fond of picking them out of their meals.

Odinaka said that tomatoes contain Lycopene, an antioxidant, which researchers agree, has powerful anti-cancer properties.

She said that the properties are especially helpful in warding off prostate cancer and reducing the risk of heart disease and premature aging.

According to her, mothers, as caregivers in the home, should encourage good consumption of tomatoes and vegetables for adequate nourishment.

She said that tomatoes could be consumed as appetisers, juice, sauce or soup and are rich in Vitamins A, B and C.

“This vegetable is poor in calories, so there is no need to worry about excess calories; tomatoes will not add any more. It is the perfect vegetable for a diet. It is rich with about 90 per cent of water which helps you eliminate toxins while you are on a diet,” she said.

She noted that while many individuals prefer to consume juices made up of chemicals, big red cherry tomatoes could be squeezed as juice and served as a very healthy drink.

Odinaka said it is also good to serve tomatoes in salad or mix them with other vegetables or sandwiches.

She, therefore, urged mothers to discourage their wards from throwing out tomatoes or onions from their meals, as these are healthy nutrients needed for growth.

The nutritionist admonished everyone to eat healthy foods necessary to help fight ailments.