Want to lower blood pressure and protect the heart, what kind of juice should you drink?

Tomatoes are classified as a heart-healthy food. This is because tomatoes contain many biological compounds that have positive effects on blood vessels, blood pressure and blood lipids.

Many studies have shown that components in tomatoes such as lycopene, carotenoids, potassium and antioxidant compounds can interfere with biological mechanisms that affect blood pressure and blood vessel function, according to the health website Medical News Today (UK).

Tomato juice contains nutrients that help lower blood pressure and improve heart health.

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In a study published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition , Japanese scientists discovered that people who regularly drank tomato juice for a year had improved blood pressure index. Specifically, in people with mildly increased blood pressure or in the pre-hypertension stage, systolic blood pressure decreased by an average of 141.2 mmHg to 137.0 mmHg. Meanwhile, diastolic blood pressure decreased from 83.3 to 80.9 mmHg.

Meanwhile, a meta-analysis published in the journal Phytomedicine found that certain tomato products significantly reduced systolic blood pressure compared with placebo. The effect was stronger in people with high blood pressure. The tomato products in question included tomato extracts and juices.

In addition to its effects on blood pressure, tomatoes also help reduce blood triglycerides, helping the body burn fat and control blood lipids better. These benefits are due to the following biological effects:

Lycopene

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that can inhibit the oxidation of harmful cholesterol. A study by the University of Cambridge (UK) showed that lycopene in tomatoes improves vascular endothelial function in coronary artery disease patients.

Potassium

Tomatoes are a good source of potassium. This mineral also plays an important role in balancing sodium and potassium in the body, reducing pressure in blood vessel walls by promoting sodium excretion and vasodilation. This helps to neutralize the effects of sodium on blood pressure.

Other plant compounds

Tomato juice also contains compounds such as oxo-ODA, esculeoside A, GABA and polyphenols that can regulate energy metabolism, reduce inflammation and reduce harmful cholesterol. These effects will indirectly maintain healthy blood pressure.

Reduces vascular stiffness

Due to its antioxidant activity and ability to improve endothelial function, tomato juice reduces arterial stiffness. This results in vessels becoming more dilated when blood flow increases, thereby reducing the strain on the heart.

One thing to note when using tomato juice is not to add salt. In addition, to absorb lycopene in tomatoes well, you need to pay attention to how it is prepared. Lycopene is an oil-soluble substance. Therefore, when drinking tomato juice, you should combine it with a little vegetable oil, such as olive oil, to improve the absorption of lycopene, according to Medical News Today .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/muon-ha-huyet-ap-va-bao-ve-tim-mach-nen-uong-loai-nuoc-ep-nao-185251003132648772.htm