BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The lycopene, a sort of red chemical found in tomatoes, peppers and water-melons, may reduce the risk of having a stroke, according to researchers in Finland.
A study of 1,031 persons showed the more lycopene in their bloodstream the less likely to have a stroke, published in Neurology.
The persons were split into four groups based on the amount of lycopene in their blood. There were 25 strokes in the 258 persons in the low lycopene group and 11 strokes out of the 259 persons in the high lycopene group.
"The lycopene acted as an antioxidant, reduced inflammation and prevented blood clotting, "Dr Jouni Karppi, from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, said.
"The results of study add to the evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of stroke."
Dr Jouni Karppi suggested more research is needed to understand the reason why the particular antioxidant found in vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes could help keep down stroke risk. Editor: Hou