18/06/2026
Did you know the same tomato can feed you differently?
Eat it raw in a Greek salad and you still get benefits.
Freshness. Fiber. Vitamin C. Hydration. Taste.
But when tomatoes are cooked with extra virgin olive oil, something else happens.
Heat helps release lycopene from the tomato structure. EVOO helps your body absorb it, because lycopene is fat-soluble.
And about the myth that EVOO is bad for cooking?
Good EVOO is rich in monounsaturated fats and natural phenolic compounds. That is why it handles everyday cooking better than many people think.
Then, after cooking, finish with high phenolic olive oil.
Why bother?
Because high phenolic olive oil is not only about fat. It is about the olive phenolics you add raw, over real food, where more of their value is protected.
Raw tomato has value. Cooked tomato has value. The same tomato can feed you differently depending on how you prepare it.
Because epigenetic nutrition is not just about nutrients. It is about preparation, absorption, pairing, and what your body can actually use.
Save this post for later.
Science behind this:
Dewanto, V., Wu, X., Adom, K. K., & Liu, R. H. “Thermal Processing Enhances the Nutritional Value of Tomatoes by Increasing Total Antioxidant Activity.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2002.
Fielding, J. M., Rowley, K. G., Cooper, P., & O’Dea, K. “Increases in Plasma Lycopene Concentration after Consumption of Tomatoes Cooked with Olive Oil.” Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005.
de Alzaa, F., Guillaume, C., & Ravetti, L. “Evaluation of Chemical and Physical Changes in Different Commercial Oils during Heating.” Acta Scientific Nutritional Health, 2018.
Ambra, R. et al. “A Review of the Effects of Olive Oil-Cooking on Phenolic Compounds.” Molecules, 2022.