《吴希素营养师专栏》吃得出「色」- 茄红素

吃得出「色」- 茄红素

不只绿色蔬菜对人体有益，不同 颜色的蔬果能供给人体不同的营养。红色蔬果不但令食物的卖相变得更吸引，当中还富含对人体健康有益的茄红素。

* 研究显示每星期吃10份以上蕃 茄的男士，前列腺癌发病风险比一般人低34%；而每星期吃2份蕃茄的人，发病风险比每月吃少於1份蕃茄的人低23%。因此，茄 红素能减低患上前列腺癌的风险。男士只要每周至少吃2次煮熟蕃茄，便能有效预防前列腺癌。

* 茄红素有抗氧化的能力，能增强 免疫力和抗老化，更能消除造成人体疾病和老化的自由基。

* 由於茄红素存於细胞内，所以经 过切碎、磨烂、烹煮后，人体更容易吸收其中的营养成分。

* 茄红素存於红橙色的蔬果中，如 蕃茄、木瓜、西瓜、草莓及红肉西柚等。

* 市售的蕃茄制品也含有大量钠 质，高血压人士宜选择低钠配方或自行烹调。

Green vegetables are good for our health, and so do the other colors of the fruits and vegetables. Different colors supply different phyto-nutrients for human body. The color RED makes your meals more attractive, and it also provides you with Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which helps to enhance our immunity system, and eliminate the free radicals that cause aging.

Lycopene also helps to prevent cancer. Harvard University’s research shows that when men eat at least 10 servings of tomatoes a week, the risk of getting prostate cancer will be lower by 34%; men who eat 2 servings of tomatoes each week, the risk will lower by 23% than men who just have 1 serving of tomato per month. Thus, it is concluded that lycopene may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The recommendation is to have tomatoes twice a week to prevent prostate cancer.

Since lycopene is stored in the cell of the plants, it can be released by shredding, masticate, or cooking the plant. That means you need to cook the tomatoes to get the lycopene. You can also find lycopene in red-orange fruits and vegetables, such as papaya, watermelon, strawberries and grapefruit.

Commercial tomato products such as tomato paste or sauce contain high sodium, people who has high blood pressure are suggested to choose the low-sodium products, or prepare the foods by yourself.

This article is contributed by Carrie Tang, Dietetic Student and reviewed by Hazel Ng, RD