Scientists from Tokyo Medical and Dental University have found that drinking unsalted tomato juice may help lower blood pressure and reduce “bad” cholesterol levels in Japanese adults who are at risk of heart disease.
High blood pressure is a widespread condition in which the force of blood pushing against artery walls remains elevated over time, increasing the risk of heart disease and other serious health problems.
Blood pressure is reported using two numbers: systolic pressure, which reflects the force when the heart contracts, and diastolic pressure, which measures the pressure when the heart relaxes and fills with blood.
Prehypertension is typically defined as a systolic pressure between 120 and 139 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure between 80 and 89 mm Hg, while hypertension is diagnosed when systolic pressure reaches 130 mm Hg or higher, or when diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg or above.
Tomato juice contains vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, and other nutrients.
It is also a rich source of antioxidants such as lycopene, which may reduce inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
In this study, researchers aimed to evaluate how unsalted tomato juice might affect cardiovascular risk factors in a local Japanese population.
A total of 481 residents of Kuriyama, Japan, participated in the year-long study. They were given unlimited access to unsalted tomato juice and were assessed for cardiovascular risk markers, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar, both before and after the study period.
The researchers found notable improvements among participants. In 94 individuals with untreated prehypertension or hypertension, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly reduced.
Additionally, among 125 participants with untreated dyslipidemia, levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), often referred to as “bad” cholesterol, also decreased strongly. LDL-C makes up most of the body’s cholesterol, and high levels are known to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
The study also showed that these benefits were consistent across men and women and among different age groups. Participants’ lifestyle habits remained largely unchanged throughout the year, suggesting that the tomato juice itself likely contributed to the improvements observed.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that regular consumption of unsalted tomato juice improved blood pressure and lowered LDL cholesterol in Japanese adults at risk of cardiovascular problems. The study was published in Food Science & Nutrition and conducted by Tamami Odai and colleagues.
