Older women who are more likely to develop breast cancer should start eating more tomatoes, researchers suggest. The fruit regulates the hormones that can help prevent the disease.

Eating tomatoes every day raises levels of adiponectin, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and fat levels, and lower the risk of breast cancer. The advice is especially important for women who are post- menopausal and, and as a result, have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

The benefits can be seen quite quickly. Researchers from the Ohio State University saw a 9 per cent rise in adiponectin levels after just 10 weeks when 70 women ate tomatoes and tomato-enriched foods that contained at least 25 milligrams of lycopene every day.

(Source: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, published online, January 1, 2014)
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