(June 3) -- A chemical found in tomatoes -- lycopene, an antioxidant -- may help keep the heart healthy, according to a British study.
"An apple a day is no longer the only fruit that will keep the doctor away," the New York Post says in its story on the study.
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Bill Haber, AP
Tomatoes contain a cholesterol-fighting substance called lycopene, a chemical that has been put into a pill being marketed under the name Ateronon.
The tomato component may fight a type of cholesterol that clogs arteries and can trigger heart disease and strokes.
Lycopene is what gives tomatoes their red color. But, according to an analysis of the heart study in Britain's Guardian newspaper, it's difficult for the body to absorb lycopene from raw fruit. Cooked foods are a better source of the substance, the newspaper said.
And there's another source: a new pill called Ateronon, which promoters say will eliminate harmful fats from the body in eight weeks. The Food and Drug Administration has yet to approve it, and a cardiologist warned people against hopping on the pill bandwagon.
"The tomato pill is a work in progress; there's no evidence yet," Nieca Goldberg told the Post. "Before we get excited about the tomato pill, eat tomatoes!"
The Guardian's analysis explains how other cholesterol fighters work and lays out what is and isn't known about the pill form of lycopene. Bottom line: "It's always a good idea to talk to your doctor before taking supplements," the story says.
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