Eating more tomatoes may help reduce heart risk

A study conducted in Spain by the University of Barcelona confirms the power of tomatoes for heart health.

 

The study, published in November in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, involved over 7,000 adults aged 55 to 80 over a 3-year period. Just over 82% of participants already had high blood pressure at the start of the study. 

 

Participants completed questionnaires on their diet and physical activity, and were then classified into 4 groups according to their daily tomato consumption. The lowest consumption group ate 1.5 ounces of tomato (42.5 gr) or less, and the highest consumption group ate 4 ounces (113.3 gr) or more.

 

The researchers observed an association between tomato consumption and lower blood pressure. The overall risk of hypertension was 36% lower in the highest consumption group than in the lowest.

 

Tomatoes contain specific minerals and compounds, such as lycopene, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as potassium, known to relieve hypertension.