The usual day-after-Thanksgiving leftover turkey sandwich is a nice tradition, but it won’t fight wrinkles and like whipping up a zesty turkey bolognese will.
According to research presented at the British Society for Investigative Dermatology, a diet rich in cooked tomatoes could help prevent premature aging and provide an extra tool in sun protection.
Scientists at the University of Newcastle and the University of Manchester asked a small group of women to eat tomato paste daily for 12 weeks. The women’s skin was exposed to UV light at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Scientists discovered that the tomato diet boosted skin’s levels of procollagen, which keeps skin firm and youthful-looking. The participants also were found to have 33% more protection against sunburn following the diet.
The antioxidant lycopene—the natural pigment that makes tomatoes red—was behind the benefit. Lycopene is at its highest level in tomatoes that are cooked and because tomato paste contains a high concentration of cooked tomatoes, it is an ideal source of this antioxidant.
If you want one extra tool to help prevent signs of aging and sunburn, adding cooked tomatoes to your diet can help give your skin a winning glow for the holidays and beyond.
Happy Turkey Day!