Tomato juice can get a little dicey. High in nutrients and valuable antioxidants, it’s often praised for its potential to improve health. Until reality sets in: most tomato juice beverages are so stacked with salt that they can pose some significant danger to your heart, particularly if you’re eating a high-sodium diet to begin with.
But take the salt out? In that case, the stuff may have huge benefits to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.
Lycopene is an antioxidant found in large amounts in tomatoes and tomato products, and tomato juice features a very high concentration. Partly what gives a tomato its bright red color, lycopene can also work some magic in the body by killing free radicals, protecting cells and fighting back hard against inflammation. All of this can provide major help for your veins, arteries, and overall heart health.
A recent study examined how unsalted tomato juice influenced markers of heart disease, and the results were quite impressive. 184 Japanese men and 297 Japanese women with high risk for cardiovascular disease were given as much unsalted tomato juice as they wanted to drink for the course of a year.
During follow-up tests, 94 participants with untreated prehypertension or hypertension showed significant reductions in blood pressure. The average moved from 141.2/83.3 mmHg to 137/80.9 mmHg, enough to reduce the risk of a heart attack. Additionally, 125 participants with high cholesterol saw LDL cholesterol levels go down by an average of six points, from 155 mg/dL to 149.9 mg/dL.
Both of these impacts have the ability to lower the risk for cardiovascular disease or a heart-related episode and may work even better as part of a weight loss program or nutrient-dense diet.
When buying tomato juice, be sure to confirm that it is unsalted. Otherwise, you are unlikely to derive any benefit and could put yourself in danger.
Also read:
- 21 foods that raise blood pressure level
- How to lower blood pressure quickly and naturally
- What causes blood pressure to change after eating?
- 10 best essential oils for high cholesterol reduction