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Your heart health is directly related to what you eat. While intake of saturated fats is a strict no-no if you are at a risk of heart diseases, adding tomatoes to your diet plays a key role in keeping your heart healthy. With a drastic increase in the number of people suffering from heart diseases, making this small change in your diet might help you prevent heart disease and its various health complications. But before you start adding tomatoes to your curries, sandwiches and pizzas, here s what you need to know.
Tomatoes for healthy heart
Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, an antioxidant that prevents buildup of cholesterol. It is also found to prevent oxidation of LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol and their uptake by macrophages, immune cells, present in the arterial wall(1). The study conducted by the University of Cambridge and the Cambridge University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, lycopene has the potential to lower the incidence of heart attack and stroke.
It is also known to act as a powerful blood purifying agent. This fruit (that is a common ingredient in various food preparations) also contains folic acid, potassium, flavonoids and Vitamin E and C, which help in maintaining your blood pressure, thus lowering your risk of suffering from a heart disease. Here are other health benefits of tomatoes you need to be aware of.
Tips to keep in mind
People suffering from gout and kidney stones should avoid eating tomatoes as they are rich in oxalate content which in turn might aggravate your condition.
To reap the heart-health benefits of tomatoes make sure you include them in your diet in the form of soup, juice, salads, gravy, puree, dals, pulavs and in curries.
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