If a man prefers eating raw tomatoes for their Vitamin C content, what practical adjustment should be made to ensure adequate Lycopene absorption?
Always pair the raw tomatoes with a small serving of healthy fat, such as olive oil or avocado slices.
Lycopene is a fat-soluble compound, meaning it requires the presence of dietary fats for optimal uptake by the human body. When tomatoes are eaten raw, the lycopene is still locked within its less accessible crystalline form within the cells, and further, it requires fat to be effectively absorbed through the intestinal lining. To maximize the benefit of the lycopene present in raw tomatoes without cooking them, the recommended strategy is integration with healthy fats. Adding olive oil in a dressing or consuming them alongside avocados provides the necessary lipid environment that facilitates the body's ability to absorb this crucial fat-soluble carotenoid.
