More evidence that Lycopene helps protect the skin from sun damage

Investigators from the Universities of Newcastle and Manchester gave 20 individuals 55 grams (five tablespoons) of tomato paste with 10 g of olive oil daily, or the olive oil alone which served as the placebo, both for 12 weeks. They exposed the skin of all subjects to ultraviolet light at the start and end of the trial. Those on the tomato paste had 33 % more protection from the damaging radiation than those on placebo alone. The benefits of the tomato paste were attributed to the Lycopene content, which may neutralize the harmful effects of ultra violet light which can damage important skin structures. The study was presented April 8th, 2008 at the annual meeting of the British Society for Investigative Dermatology.

Flaxseed Lignans and Soy Foods decrease the risk of Prostate Cancer

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland performed a case-control study on diet and prostate cancer. They compared 433 cancer cases to 483 age matched cancer free Scots. A high concentration of the active Lignan from Flaxseed (enterolactone) was connected to a 60% decreased risk of developing prostate cancer and a high intake of Soy Foods was connected to a 48% decrease. The study is published in the August 2007 issue of the British Journal of Nutrition.