Tomatoes Consumed raw do not arouse any controversy. We use these fruits in the kitchen all the time, adding them to sandwiches and healthy salads. However, we shudder when someone tells us that they regularly reach for tomato juice.
It has a specific taste that not everyone likes, but it’s still worth drinking. However, tomato juice is much healthier than raw fruit that we are so eager to reach for. The latest research of Japanese scientists from Tokyo Medical and Dental University confirm that this is a health vitamin bomb.
Tomato is a source of valuable lycopene – a natural dye from the group of carotenoids. This is an antioxidant that is recommended to consume, among others in the prevention of circulatory system diseases. It has been proven that it protects our cells against the premature aging and dying process.
However, we should know that Tomato paste, ketchup, smaghetti sauce or tomato juice contain much more valuable lycopene, from raw tomato. The latter in 100 g of the product can have it on average from 3 to 7.5 mg. It’s not much more than red grapefruit (about 3.5 g) or watermelon (about 4 mg).
While the tomato after processing may even contain:
- 9-13 mg of lycopene in ketchup
- 18 mg lycopene in spaghetti sauce
- 20 mg of lycopene in tomato juice
- from 5 to even 150 mg in the tomato paste
In addition to lycopene, tomato juice is also a rich source of vitamin A and vitamin C. It also contains vitamin K, vitamin B3 (niacin) potassium, folic acid, iron, copper, phosphorus, calcium, zinc or magnesium. In 100 g of tomato juice we will find about 17 kcal. It’s not much, so we can also reach for it on a reduction diet.
A group of Japanese scientists from Tokyo Medical and Dental University decided to personally check the impact of drinking tomato juice on the human body. To this end, they carried out an experiment on 481 inhabitants of the city of Kuriyama on the island of Hokkaido.
First, they were examined, and then for 365 days each person had unlimited access to tomato juice. After time, medical examinations were carried out again and it turned out that u 94 people who had problems with hypertension, as a result of regular drinking of tomato juice, blood flow parameters improved.
However, this is not all, because in 125 participants of the experiment with elevated cholesterol, the LDL level decreased. Regular consumption of tomato juice therefore helps, among others prevent atherosclerosis.
We can prepare tomato juice at home with fresh fruit. Then remove all seed nests, and then cook tomatoes on medium heat for half an hour. To make tomato juice perfect, let’s add a drop of oil to it. Let’s avoid salt for it.
After cooling, mix the vegetables to obtain the desired consistency and strain them through a sieve. AND If pure tomato juice seems too banal to us, we can combine them with other healthy vegetables and herbs, such as celery, red pepper or oregano.
