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SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2015
Planes, cars and more at
this year’s Wings, Wheels
J OEL F UHRMAN , MD
You say ‘tomato,’ we say ‘lycopene’
Carotenoids are a family of
over six hundred phytochemi-
cals, including alpha-carotene,
beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein
and zeaxanthin.
Carotenoids are abundant in
green and yellow-orange veg-
etables and fruits and help to
defend the body’s tissues
against oxidative damage,
which is a natural byproduct of
our metabolic processes;
oxidative damage from free
radicals contributes to chronic
diseases and aging.
Lycopene is the signature
carotenoid of the tomato. The
lycopene in the American diet
is 85 percent derived from
tomatoes.
Lycopene is found circulat-
ing in the blood and also con-
centrates in the male reproduc-
tive system, hence its protec-
tive effects against prostate
cancer. In the skin, lycopene
helps to prevent UV damage
from the sun, protecting against
skin cancer. Lycopene is
known for its anti-cancer prop-
erties, but did you know that
lycopene has also been inten-
sively studied for its beneficial
cardiovascular effects?
Many observational studies
have made a connection
between higher blood lycopene
and lower risk of heart attack.
For example, a study in men
found that low serum lycopene
was associated with increased
plaque in the carotid artery and
triple the risk of cardiovascular
events compared to higher lev-
els.
In a separate study, women
were split into four groups
(quartiles) according to their
blood lycopene levels; women
in the top three quartiles were
50 percent less likely to have
cardiovascular disease com-
pared to the lowest quartile.
A 2004 analysis from the
Physicians’ Health Study data
found a 39 percent decrease in
stroke risk in men with the
highest blood levels of
lycopene. Data from an ongo-
ing study in Finland has
strengthened these findings
with similar results.
One-thousand men had their
blood carotenoid levels tested
and were followed for 12 years.
Those with the highest
lycopene levels had the lowest
risk of stroke — they were 55
percent less likely to have a
stroke than those with the low-
est lycopene levels.
Previous data from this same
group of men found that higher
lycopene levels were associat-
ed with lower risk of heart
attack as well. A meta-analysis
of 12 trials also found that
daily supplemental tomato
products (approximately 1 cup
of tomato juice or 3-4 tbsp. of
tomato paste) reduced LDL
cholesterol by 10 percent —
this effect is comparable to low
doses of statin drugs (with no
risk of side effects, of course).
Of course, lycopene is not
the only nutrient in tomatoes
— tomatoes are also rich in
vitamins C and E, beta-
carotene, and flavonol antioxi-
dants just to name a few.
Single antioxidants usually
don’t exert their protective
effects alone; we learned this
lesson from clinical trials of
beta-carotene, vitamin C, and
vitamin E supplements, which
did not reduce cardiovascular
disease risk. It is the interac-
tions between phytochemicals
in the complex synergistic net-
work contained in plant foods
that is responsible for their
health effects, and this is some-
thing that we cannot replicate
in a pill.
Out of all the common
dietary carotenoids, lycopene
has the most potent antioxidant
power, but combinations of
carotenoids are even more
effective than any single
carotenoid — they work syner-
gistically. Blood lycopene, as
used in many of these studies,
is simply a marker for high
tomato product intake; similar-
ly high alpha-carotene and
beta-carotene levels are mark-
ers of high green and yellow-
orange fruit and vegetable
intake.
Colorful fruits and vegeta-
bles provide significant protec-
tion.
In a given year, a typical
American will eat about 92
pounds of tomatoes.
Be mindful of the sodium
content of ketchup and other
tomato products — choose the
low sodium or no salt added
versions. No salt added, unsul-
phured dried tomatoes are also
great. Diced and crushed toma-
toes in glass jars are preferable
to those in cans, to avoid the
endocrine disruptor BPA.
Also keep in mind that
carotenoids are absorbed best
when accompanied by healthy
The sixth annual Wings and
Wheels aircraft fly-in and car-
show will be tomorrow, July 4,
at the Florence Municipal
Airport.
The Old Time Fiddlers will
perform, along with two per-
formances by the Florence
Dance Guild. There will also
be DJ music all day.
The Florence-Siuslaw Lions
Club and the Ada Grange will
be providing food throughout
the day. The Lions Club will
be selling raffle tickets to sup-
port their scholarship fund
fats — for example, in a salad
with a seed or nut-based dress-
ing. Lycopene is also more
absorbable when tomatoes are
cooked — one cup of tomato
sauce contains about 10 times
the lycopene as a cup of raw,
chopped tomatoes — so enjoy
both raw and cooked tomatoes
in your daily diet.
with nearly $3,000 worth of
items to be raffled off.
Commemorative t-shirts
will be for sale.
Gates will open at 10 a.m.
and a donation of $2 per car-
load will be asked at the gate.
Trophies will be handed out
for the car show beginning at
2:30 p.m. Several antique and
classic aircraft are expected to
be on hand, weather permiting.
Nearly 100 classic cars and
trucks from throughout the
Northwest are expected to par-
ticipate.
Dr. Fuhrman is a New York
Times best-selling author and
board certified family physician
specializing in lifestyle and nutri-
tional medicine.
Visit his website at Dr
Fuhrman.com, or submit questions
and comments to news ques-
tions@drfuhrman.com.
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