Tomatoes

The healthiest foods on the planet are the ones we “know by heart”, like … the tomato.

In fact, the Mediterranean diet is rich in tomatoes, tomato products, and other carotenoids and has been associated with a lower incidence of a slew of nasty chronic diseases.

Here’s a summary of some of the research.

AND, people who eat tomatoes regularly are less likely to suffer from heart attacks than those who don’t make tomatoes part of their diet.

Why? There are lots of reasons, but one big one is because of lycopene. Lycopene is responsible for the antioxidant effects of tomatoes, and that prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, the “bad” guy. Oxidized cholesterol is considered the primary initial step leading to the formation of plaque in the arteries and consequently to heart attacks.