Tomatoes and tomato-based products may be useful in controlling and preventing high blood pressure as per a study by the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Potassium, which is abundant in tomatoes and other nightshade vegetables, is known to help decrease blood pressure by counteracting the effects of salt on the body. They are also essential to many diets that promote heart health.
“Tomatoes are one of the most consumed, widely available, and affordable vegetables worldwide,” study co-author Rosa Maria Lamuela-Raventos, PharmD, director of the Institute for Research on Nutrition and Food Safety at the University of Barcelona, told Health. “They are an important part of some of the best diets, including the Mediterranean diet.”
Eating raw tomatoes or tomato-based foods like tomato sauce and gazpacho (a chilled Spanish tomato soup) was part of the daily tomato diet. Based on serving size, four groups were created based on the amount of tomatoes consumed by the participants.
In the lowest and intermediate categories, the study found an inverse relationship between tomato consumption and the risk of hypertension; in the highest group, a significant association was observed. According to the research, eating more tomatoes reduces the risk of blood pressure by 36%, and even modest consumption lowers blood pressure.
Participants with higher blood pressures showed less significant reductions in their blood pressure. The authors speculate that this might be because these individuals were older and had high blood pressure for a longer period of time, along with other risk factors, which made major change more challenging.
Premier hopes crippling disease in Afghanistan would also end with international coordination, support
Researchers discover AI to be faster and accurately in detecting fatal heart issues than doctors
Elimination of such data "creates dangerous gap in scientific information, data to monitor", say health agencies
A letter seeking comprehensive surveillance was sent to airport authorities, requesting passenger details
US official expresses interest in collaborating with Pakistan to meet need of healthcare professionals
Experts say that your entire day is set by how you start your morning