Along with being a lovely source of Vitamin C, tomatos have a number of other health benefits.  Recent research indicates that they help protect against a number of cancers, and may reduce your risk of a number of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

The secret behind the extended health benefits is a nutrient called lycopene, a potent antioxidant.  Antioxidants help prevent cancers by slowing down certain kinds of cellular damage caused by free radicals.

The heart protection is caused by lowering cholesterol.  There are studies that have shown that drinking a couple of glasses of tomato juice a day lowers the LDL “bad” cholesterol by a sizable percentage.  There is an additional nutrient in tomatos called 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid.  This frightening sounding nutrient has also been linked to lowered cholesterol and fat in the bloodstream

Lycopene has also been linked to a potential increase in bone mass, although this effect is still under study.