Canned and Cooked Tomatoes Protect Against Prostate Cancer

Consuming tomatoes may reduce the risk for prostate cancer, according to a study published in Cancer Causes & Control. Researchers followed more than 27,000 Adventist men without cancer and monitored tomato intake and cancer incidence rates. Those who consumed canned or cooked tomatoes four times or more per week reduced their risk for prostate cancer when compared to those who never consumed tomatoes. Results showed a stronger association with consumption of 71 grams per day (about 1/3 cup), compared to no tomato intake. The authors attribute the lower risk to increased bioavailability of lycopene, a type of carotenoid, in processed and cooked tomato products. These results, particularly strong in black male participants, support dietary interventions as a viable preventive measure for at-risk populations.

Join study author Gary Fraser at the virtual International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine, where he'll be talking about food and cancer risk.