How tomatoes can prevent a red face

In a slightly amusing new study, experts have found that munching on a tomato-based pizza can help stop your skin burning in the sun and get rid of wrinkles.

Boffins got volunteers to eat five tablespoons of pureed tomato paste for 12 weeks, which toughened up their skin and made it less likely to burn.

The tests showed that the tomato-eaters received 33% more protection against the effects of UV light than a tomato-less control group. However, the protecting effects were only equivalent to slathering on a tiny factor 1.3 sunblock. So it’s not quite enough to eat pizza for every meal when you go on holiday, we’re afraid.

Although smearing tomato paste on every meal or eating pizza until it comes out of your ears isn’t what we’d advise, the advantages of eating tomatoes are second to none, and they are basic ingredient of thousands of healthy meals. So what’s the science behind it? Well, that magic antioxidant lycopene has much to answer for (again). When your skin is exposed to the sun’s rays, lycopene is able to neutralise the harmful molecules that are produced.

This news follows on from DietPixie’s four reasons to eat tomatoes tips that we posted up on Tuesday. It seems that this wonder fruit really is a little red superhero!

Source: Metro.co.uk