{"id":152832,"date":"2023-02-17T02:11:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-17T09:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/?p=152832"},"modified":"2023-02-16T09:11:45","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T16:11:45","slug":"lycopene-the-unsung-antioxidant-you-need-more-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/articles\/lycopene-the-unsung-antioxidant-you-need-more-of\/","title":{"rendered":"Lycopene: The Unsung Antioxidant You Need More Of"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is lycopene and why should you add more of it to your diet? Lycopene is a plant pigment that gives foods like tomatoes and watermelons their signature colors. Exhibiting antioxidant properties, lycopene has been linked to a long list of health benefits<\/strong>. Researchers note that lycopene may offer protection against sunburns, free radical damage, and even certain types of cancers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belonging to the carotenoid family, which is a group of compounds related to vitamin A<\/a>, lycopene may help reduce systolic pressure. That is the top number on your blood pressure reading and it indicates how much pressure is exerted against the arterial walls when the heart beats. Decreasing that number is very beneficial for people with high blood pressure<\/a>. Additionally, lycopene may improve LDL cholesterol and blood flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits don\u2019t just end there! Lycopene<\/strong> and beta-carotene are primary carotenoids founding skin and plasma. That\u2019s why you often see those antioxidants in skin care products. Lycopene may improve the body\u2019s ability to protect itself from the sun. Loading up on tomatoes doesn\u2019t make you immune to sunburn<\/a>; rather, it simply offers extra protection to your skin. Lycopene also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties<\/a> that work to reduce oxidative stress. Finally, lycopene offers neuroprotective properties and may even help balance levels of cytokines, proteins that alert the immune system. Some great sources of lycopene include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n