Reasons Why Tomato Juice is Good for your Health
Drinking tomato juice every day has many health benefits, including preventing cancer, improving cardiovascular health and reducing inflammation. A glass of tomato juice contains most of the vitamins you need for a day.
Tomato juice has many health benefits, from treating colds and flu to boosting the immune system. Tomato juice is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and is also rich in lycopene and vitamin E, which also helps with heart disease.
Although you may think that tomato juice is just tomato juice, there is much more to this drink. In addition to tomatoes, you can also add celery, carrots and beets. But tomato juice still contains high amounts of sodium, which is not a good thing.
What is tomato juice?
Tomato juice is made from fresh tomatoes and makes a great drink. You can make tomato juice at home, but many juice companies have canned products. The taste is lively and rich. Tomato juice is made from ripe tomatoes. Commercially, this drink is also made with tomato paste. Ripe tomatoes are best for making juice, but other varieties such as plum, steak, brandy and Campari tomatoes can also be used.
Tomato juice: Nutrition
Tomatoes are rich in nutrients and contain many vitamins and minerals. Here is the nutritional information for one glass (240g) of unsalted tomato juice, according to Food Trust Central.
- kcal: 41
- Protein: 2g
- Vitamin A: 22% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin C: 74% of daily value
- Vitamin K: 7% of daily value
- Thiamine (vitamin B1): 8% of daily value
- Niacin (vitamin B3): 8% of daily value
- Pyridoxine (vitamin B6): 13% of daily value
- Folic acid (vitamin B9): 12% of daily value
- Magnesium: 7% of the DV
- Potassium: 16% of the daily value
- Copper: 7% of DV
- Manganese: 9% of the DV
Health benefits of tomato juice
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Covers your vitamin and fibre needs
One of the best benefits of tomato juice is that it is rich in protein. One glass of tomato juice meets your daily vitamin C needs and up to one-third of your vitamin A needs. According to the National Institute of Health, one glass of tomato juice provides 20% of the daily vitamin A requirement; 12-15% potassium and copper and 5% magnesium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. It also contains 12% of the recommended daily value of pectin and approximately 8% of dietary fibre.
2. Rich in carotenoids and polyphenols
Tomatoes contain bio-active constituents. These have phytochemicals such as carotenoids and polyphenols. Carotenoids are converted into vitamin A in our body. This helps in maintaining good eyesight and tissue health. It can also prevent cancer, states this study, published in Cancers. Carotenoids are also antioxidants, that help prevent the production of free radicals.
3.Rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants are essential for your body, and tomato juice is rich in an antioxidant called lycopene. One glass of tomato juice contains 22 milligrams of lycopene. A study published in Current Medicine says that lycopene helps protect cells from damage and reduces all symptoms in the body. A two-month study published in the journal Nutrients examined the effects of 1.2 glasses of tomato juice per day on 30 women. It was shown to reduce inflammatory proteins called adipokines. Not only that, but researchers found that it also reduces cholesterol and waist circumference.
4.Helps with heart disease
Regular consumption of tomato juice can help keep your heart healthy. The lycopene and beta-carotene in tomato juice helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition examined 584 participants who ate tomatoes and tomato products regularly for more than 10 years. The risk of heart disease is lower than people who do not eat tomatoes. Another study published in the journal Maturitas combined 13 studies examining eating tomatoes to lower cholesterol.
5.May prevent cancer
Drinking tomato juice may also help prevent many types of cancer. A study published in Scientific Research reviewed the work of 24 studies and concluded that eating tomatoes may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. A mouse study published in Scientific Reports reported that it may also help treat skin cancer. In this study, mice were given tomato powder for 35 weeks.
Side Effects of Tomato Juice
Although tomato juice is healthy, drinking tomato juice also has some disadvantages. There are a few things to keep in mind if you drink a lot of tomato juice.
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Sodium content
If you drink tomato juice, be sure to check its sodium and salt content. Many commercial brands carry high amounts of sodium, which can cause health problems such as high blood pressure.
2.Less fibrous than tomatoes
If you want to increase your fibre content, it is better to eat whole tomatoes instead of drinking tomato juice. 100 grams of tomatoes contain 1.4 grams of fibre, while 100 grams of tomato juice contains 0.4 grams of fibre.
3.High calorie supplement
If you are drinking ready-made tomato juice, be sure to check all the ingredients. Sometimes fruit and other high-calorie foods can be added to enhance flavour, which can increase your calorie count. Also be sure to check the sugar content.
4.May cause indigestion
It is recommended that you do not drink tomato juice if you have digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome or gastroesophageal reflux disease. This will bother you. Tomatoes are acidic and this can harm you even more.