In the October 2001 issue of HortScience, scientists reported that the fruit of the autumn olive contains several carotenoid pigments widely believed to protect the human body against heart attack and various forms of cancer. The predominant pigment was lycopene.
The berries of the autumn olive contain between 5 and 15 times that amount per 100g. The researchers suggested that this discovery could lead to the inclusion of autumn olive in our diets.
