Tomatoes are an indispensable part of Indian and international cuisine. This wonderful red fruit not just lends a tangy flavor to several delicacies but has multiple health and beauty benefits to offer. Tomato and it’s juice are nutrient-dense and low in calories and fat. So, if you want to reduce weight, this drink is for you.
Tomatoes have vitamins C, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6 and minerals like potassium, manganese, and iron. Besides being nutritious, tomatoes could help reduce high blood pressure too, says nutritionist and dietician Avni Kaul in this blog.
Avni also recommends that for maximum benefits, try to have unsalted or plain tomato juice. Also, it is better to drink homemade fresh juice instead of the commercially produced ones available in the market.
Drink this Juice Daily
Stress is part of our life nowadays and it usually comes with the risk of high blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition in which the pressure of the blood against the wall of arteries increases. This condition is manageable by making lifestyle changes such as including a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, and sometimes medicines too. However, if things get out of control, it may lead to a heart attack and stroke. Drinking tomato juice regularly could cut down the risk of high blood pressure.
How Tomato Juice Helps
High blood pressure is also known as a silent killer because usually, it does not give any early warning signs. This is why in several cases it remains undiagnosed and people come to know about it when it reaches a harmful level. One of the simplest ways to manage high blood pressure is by drinking a glass of unsalted tomato juice regularly. Also, certain studies show that tomato juice not only reduces blood pressure but also helps to manage cholesterol levels thus lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Study
A study was conducted where researchers checked almost 500 Japanese participants that included men and women both. As per that research published in the Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, the participants were given unsalted tomato juice for one year. They were asked to keep a journal in which they recorded how much juice they had each day and the changes they felt in their health. At the end of this study, it was seen that the blood pressure of 94% with untreated pre-hypertension or hypertension reduced significantly after drinking this juice daily. The beneficial impact was the same across men, women, and various age groups. The systolic blood pressure reduced from 141.2 to 137 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure was reduced from 83.3 to 80.9 mmHg.
How Tomato Juice Further Assists
This is because of the bioactive compounds, like the carotenoid, vitamin A, calcium, and gamma‐aminobutyric acid, present in tomatoes. These compounds play an important role in maintaining physical and psychological health, which includes the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It is also high in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which has incredible health benefits.
**This article has been written by team Nutri Activania**
Avni Kaul is Founder of Nutriactivania with Masters Degree in Food and Nutrition from University of Delhi and is also a Certified Diabetes Educator from Project Hope and International Diabetes Federation. She is a Leicester Mammas Ambassador trained in Lactation Counselling with NHS United Kingdom. Mammas support pregnant and new mothers and their families. Specializations of Avni Kaul Include Infant and Young Child Feeding Practises, Pre and Post natal diets, Fat loss, Muscle Gain and Holistic Health and Nutrition