If you're too lazy to eat vegetables... just drinking 'this' in the morning can keep your blood vessels clean.

 

Good for heart health and lowers cholesterol levels

Drinking about one glass of tomato juice a day can help prevent heart disease. This is because the lycopene content in tomatoes helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In fact, a research team from Tokyo Dental College in Japan conducted a one-year study with 481 participants aged 20 to 74, allowing them to consume as much tomato juice without salt as they desired. The team asked participants to record their daily tomato juice intake and changes in their health status. The average daily intake per person was 215 mL. The researchers measured various factors at the beginning and end of the study, including blood pressure, triglycerides, blood cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose levels.

According to the study results, the blood pressure of 94 individuals with hypertension or prehypertension was found to have decreased. The average systolic blood pressure at the start of the study was 141.2 mmHg, which decreased to 137 mmHg after the study. The average diastolic blood pressure also decreased from 83.3 mmHg to 80.9 mmHg. These results were observed regardless of gender or age group. Cholesterol levels also decreased. In 125 individuals with dyslipidemia, the LDL cholesterol level, known as "bad" cholesterol, decreased by approximately 3.3%. Elevated LDL cholesterol levels increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis. There was no change in the levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol.

The lycopene content varies depending on the type of tomato. Ripe red tomatoes and small cherry tomatoes have higher lycopene content per gram. The skins of tomatoes and other similar fruits and vegetables may contain residual pesticides. Therefore, it is recommended to soak them in water for about 5 minutes and then wash thoroughly before eating. However, tomato juice with added sugar can hinder the absorption of nutrients from tomatoes and may even raise blood sugar levels, so it is best to avoid it.