Top Five Foods Containing Lycopene

A study  released from the medical journal Neurology and featured on Life Extension suggests that lycopene may reduce the risk of stroke, especially for middle-aged men. This could be an extremely helpful study not only for reducing stroke risk, but also important for your overall health.

The study out of Finland involved 1,031 men, all between the ages of 46 to 65 years old, started in 1991 and followed through 1999. Blood tests were given as participants entered the study and tracked through the duration of the study. What the researchers recorded was that those men who were in the upper 25 percent of the carotenoid lycopene, found in mainly in plants, had a 59 percent lower risk for stroke when compared to those in the bottom 25 percent.

Researchers further noted that the reason for this reduced risk may be that lycopene could be even more helpful in reducing stroke risks than other antioxidants in the body. They concluded, “This study adds to the evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of stroke. The results support the recommendation that people get more than five serving of fruits and vegetables a day.”

This study supports evidence as to the overall benefits of eating a good, nutritious and balanced diet. Adding lycopene to your eating plan is easy enough. Our top five foods containing lycopene are:

  1. Tomatoes
  2. Guavas
  3. Watermelon
  4. Pink Grapefruit
  5. Asparagus

Interested in reading more? Check out our Top Five Health Benefits of Spinach