Monday, November 14, 2011

Low price of Lycopene

Lycopene is a bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables. Structurally, it is a tetraterpene assembled from eight isoprene units, composed entirely of carbon and hydrogen, and is insoluble in water. Lycopene eleven conjugated double bonds give it its deep red color and are responsible for its antioxidant activity.
Lycopene is a symmetrical tetraterpene assembled from 8 isoprene units. It is a member of the carotenoid family of compounds, and because it consists entirely of carbon and hydrogen, is also a carotene. Each double bond in this extended π electron system reduces the energy required for electrons to transition to higher energy states, allowing the molecule to absorb visible light of progressively longer wavelengths. The unconditioned biosynthesis of lycopene in eukaryotic plants and in prokaryotic cyanobacteria is similar, as are the enzymes involved.
Lycopene is a carotenoid present in human serum and skin as well as the liver, adrenal glands, lungs, prostate and colon. Since tomatoes are sources of other nutrients, including vitamin C, folate, and potassium, it is not clear that lycopene itself is beneficial. There is no well-established definition of "lycopene deficiency," and direct evidence that repletion of low lycopene as food additives levels has any benefit is lacking.
Lycopene is what gives tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, apricots and other red fruits and vegetables their red color. Lycopene is not produced in the body, so you can only obtain its benefits by eating foods rich in lycopene. Cooked or processed tomato products, such as spaghetti sauce, tomato juice, ketchup and pizza sauce are, by far, the major sources of lycopene in the typical American diet.

Other food additives: Ginseng Extract        Curcumin          Xanthan Gum

No comments:

Post a Comment