Smoking, eating processed foods and having an inactive, stressful lifestyle are just some of the ways we encounter free radicals: molecules that attack cells and that can potentially harm their DNA. Antioxidants, found abundantly in fruits and vegetables, can help reverse and possibly even prevent free radical damage.

Proof of the tomato product’s benefit is revealed in statistics showing that men from Mediterranean countries who eat a lot of tomatoes have lower rates of prostate cancer, whereas those in countries where tomato-eating is less common have higher rates.

Dr. Edward Giovannucci from Harvard Medical School found that tomatoes, and a supplement containing all of the nutrients found naturally in tomatoes, have been shown to interfere with breast cancer cell growth, help prevent tumors, and reduce the progression of new ones.

It’s important to note that the tomato’s natural nutrients appear to work together for this effect, with no one nutrient being solely responsible for the benefits.