You have probably heard that tomatoes are good for your eyes because of an antioxidant called lycopene. Did you know that tomatoes can make a difference with breast cancer risk? The reviewed research investigated just that (Llanos AA, et al. 2014).
70 postmenopausal women at increased risk for breast cancer participated in the study. Their average age was 57.2 years. First they consumed a tomato-based diet which included at least 25 mg of lycopene daily for 10 weeks, and later they consumed a soy-based diet for 10 weeks which included at least 40 g of soy protein daily. The women were also tested for adiponectin and two other hormones.
Other research has documented a decreased risk for several types of cancers, including breast cancer when adiponectin is increasing(Kishida K, et Al. 2014).
When the subjects consumed the tomato-based diet, it was found that the adiponectin concentration increased. This indicates that tomato-based food is especially beneficial for women who are at higher risk for postmenopausal breast cancer. Don’t forget that tomatoes are beneficial for other things – especially your eyes!