Lycopene : nutritional, medicinal and therapeutic properties
Preedy, Victor R., Watson, Ronald RossThere has been a growing interest in exploring the role of lycopene in the prevention of a variety of nutritional and health issues in humans, including some cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Recently, many case studies using cell cultures, animal models, and epidemiological investigations have shown a relationship between lycopene intake and a lowered risk of contracting some cancers and various chronic diseases. Increasingly, clinical evidence supports the role of lycopene as a nutrient with important health benefits, since it appears to provide protection against a broad range of epithelial cancers. The possibility that consumption of lycopene-rich foods may reduce the risk of such diseases has prompted numerous in-depth studies of the levels of lycopene in foods and of correlations between dietary lycopene and certain diseases. This monograph will serve as a reference for providing a better understanding of the role of lycopene in promoting health, and by encouraging a deeper understanding of approaches to a healthy diet and life.