Tim Spector says 'incredible' fruit can lower cholesterol and reduce risk of strokes

Woman eating tomatoes
-Credit: (Image: Getty)


A health guru has hailed a certain red fruit as a powerhouse for improving well-being, stating it has the potential to lower cholesterol and bolster heart health. Professor Tim Spector, ZOE Health's pioneer, is advocating for the inclusion of more tomatoes in our daily intake due to their numerous benefits.

Further elaborating on the fruit's virtues, he noted that its consumption might decrease stroke risk and enhance skin protection through a recent online post. Taking to Instagram, the renowned epidemiologist educated his audience on reaping maximum advantages from tomatoes.

In an informative clip, he enthused: "Tomatoes. They're not only delicious but also incredibly good for you packed with the polyphenol called lycopene which can help to lower cholesterol, support your heart health, reduce your risk of strokes and even improve your skin. At least four studies have shown that lycopene from tomatoes can help to protect your skin from UV damage."

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Prof. Spector went on to recommend eating tomatoes with some olive oil to achieve optimal outcomes.

He disclosed, "According to one of these small studies, eating 40 grams of tomato paste with 10 grams of olive oil every day reduced sunburn risk by 40 percent. To get the biggest benefit from tomatoes and the best flavour, enjoy them with olive oil for better, absorption of that fat soluble, lycopene.", reports Gloucestershire Live.

Tim cites a study that backs up his claims, which appeared in the Journal of Nutrition back in 2001. During the research, participants consumed a mixture of 40 grams of tomato paste with 10 grams of olive oil over the course of a 10-week trial.

In a recent study, participants were given just 10 grams of olive oil alongside their diet. But it was the group that consumed tomato paste who saw noticeable benefitsa staggering 40 percent reduction in erythema, which is a skin rash that stems from damaged or inflamed blood vessels, after a period of 10 weeks.

Tim highlighted a pivotal scientific paper released in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition back in 2019. The research, which conducted a meta-analysis, found that higher consumption of lycopene-rich tomatoes could greatly lower the chances of suffering from a stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and even premature death.

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Delving deeper into the findings, it revealed "significant reductions" with a 26 percent decrease in stroke risk, a 14 percent drop in cardiovascular disease possibility, and a significant 37 percent dip in mortality rates. Summarizing the data from three studies, the authors discovered: "Evidence from three studies suggested that higher intakes of tomato were associated with non-significantly lower stroke, cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease."

While fresh tomatoes are often considered vital for health, Tim highlights an interesting point about the choice of tomatoes to consume. Emphasizing practicality, he advised: "Don't be afraid of using tinned tomatoes, these have even more lycopene than fresh," recommending canned options as the superior choice for lycopene intake.