Tomato helps prevent burns sunlight.

This is revealed by research carried out by British researchers from the Universities of Manchester and Newcastle. (Britain).

The study, carried out on a group of volunteers, resulted in those who included tomato in their diet, after three months, showed a 33 percent more protection against sunburn (the equivalent of a low factor sunscreen) and much higher levels of procollagen, a molecule that keeps the skin firm.

This research that was presented at the British Society for Investigative Dermatology, suggests that the antioxidant lycopene could be behind this apparent benefit.

This component of tomatoes (which is found in greater concentration when the fruit has been cooked), has previously been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer.

Researchers have suggested it could also protect from skin damage, providing some type of protection against the effects of UV rays.

To do this, The researchers gave 10 volunteers about 55g of standard tomato sauce and 10g of olive oil daily, while another group of 10 volunteers were given only olive oil.

“The tomato diet significantly increased procollagen levels in the skin, indicating a possible reversal of the skin aging process”, noted Professor Lesley Rhodes, dermatologist at the University of Manchester, who warned that tomatoes should be seen as a complement and not an alternative to sunscreens.