Why does heating tomato products, such as in a sauce, increase the amount of lycopene the body can absorb?
Answer
Heating breaks down the tomato's tough cell walls, releasing stored lycopene.
The text explains that cooking tomatoes enhances the absorption rate of lycopene, a phenomenon termed increased bioavailability. This occurs because the heat treatment effectively breaks down the rigid, tough cellular walls inherent in the tomato structure. This structural breakdown is necessary to liberate the lycopene stored within those cells, thereby making the compound significantly more accessible and readily available for efficient absorption in the intestines. This process demonstrates that in the case of lycopene, raw consumption does not necessarily yield the superior nutritional outcome compared to properly prepared, cooked versions.
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