lycopene

Red carotenoid pigment found in tomatoes, rose hips, and many berries. It is the parent substance of all the natural carotenoids.

Lycopenes have been found to have anticancer properties. In research carried out in 2000 by Israeli researchers, lycopene added to cancer cells taken from mouth tumours killed the cells. There is also a growing body of evidence to suggest that lycopenes in the diet protect against a number of cancers, including breast and prostate. A US study concluded that two or more tomato products eaten per week reduced the risk of prostate cancer by 34%.