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Is Tomato Juice Healthy? – Benefits and Downsides

Tomato, which is often confused with being a vegetable, is, in fact, a fruit. It is a juicy berry which is native to South America, and it can be processed to make a delicious beverage which is known as Tomato Juice.

Tomato Juice is a tasty beverage that is consumed by a lot of people as it is very delicious and very nutritious. It is packed with minerals, vitamins, and it is an excellent source of antioxidants.

Tomato Juice has the potential to make people immune to various problems, and it is perfect for men. Recently, tomato juice has come under a lot of criticism because of its high sodium content. Nevertheless, every detail about tomato juice’s health benefits and its side effects have been discussed below.

Nutrition Quotient of Tomato Juice

Tomato is a very nutritious food item; hence, when the juice is made by processing tomatoes, all the nutrients are contained within the juice too.

Tomato Juice is in vitamins and minerals, but it has very fewer carbohydrates as it has negligible kinds of simple or complex sugars because it is a citrus fruit. It has very few amounts of proteins. Given below is a table of all the nutrients that are contained within 100 grams of tomatoes.

Nutrient Amount Present (in grams or %)
Saturated Fat 0 gram
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 gram
Monounsaturated Fat 0 gram
Cholesterol 0 gram
Carbohydrate 4.2 gram
Fiber 1.2 gram
Sugar 3.6 gram
Sodium 0.1 gram
Potassium 2.29 gram
Protein 0.9 gram
Vitamin C 30%
Calcium 1%
Vitamin B-6 5%
Vitamin D 0%
Vitamin K1 7%
Folate  (Vitamin B9) 7%
Magnesium 2%
Pyridoxine 13%
Niacin 8%
Copper 7%

In addition to all these nutrients, a glass of tomato juice contains 41 calories and a lot of water.

Tomato Juice Benefits for Your Body

1. Very Rich in Antioxidants

Tomato juice is a vibrant source of antioxidants. Lycopene is a very prominent constituent of tomato. Lycopene makes the body immune to a lot of diseases. In males, lycopene also promotes the production of sperms and increases sperm count; hence, it reduces the risk of erectile dysfunction.

The antioxidants present in tomato juice also possess the potential of curing cancer. Tomato Juice can also protect and heal damaged cells as antioxidants protect the body from free radicals.

2. Promotes the Health of One’s Heart

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This property of tomato juice is also mainly due to Lycopene. It is a type of antioxidant that strengthens the walls of the blood vessels and the walls of the heart and makes it stronger. It also regulates blood flow in the body and ensures that everybody part gets the right amount of blood.

Along with lycopene, tomato juice also comprises of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and beta-carotene, which also makes the walls of the heart stronger.

3. Helps in Clotting of Blood

Vitamin K helps the body by promoting clotting of blood more efficiently. In addition to that, Vitamin K also quickens the process. Hence, drinking tomato juice can help in the clotting of blood.

Tomatoes are also a rich source of phytonutrients, which regulate the count of platelets in the blood, thus blood clotting.

4. Regulates Cholesterol

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Tomato Juice is an excellent source of dietary fiber which is good for the body. This fiber helps to lower the amount of bad cholesterol in the body by breaking the complexes and promotes the production and synthesis of good cholesterol. Hence, it efficiently regulates cholesterol.

A person who consumes an adequate amount of tomato juice is also free from heart diseases associated with high cholesterol levels. This property of tomato juice is because of the component niacin, which helps to break down the LDL cholesterol.

5. Promotes Overall Eye Health

Tomato juice is packed with a lot of different antioxidants and Vitamin C. In addition to all these nutrients, it also has a lot of different phytonutrients which strengthen the ciliary muscles. Strong ciliary muscles strengthen the eyes, and it also improves eyesight.

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Consuming tomato juice also prevents weak eyesight during old age. The phytonutrients that are contained within Tomato juice also prevent the eyes from cataract, a condition during which the lens of the eye becomes opaque or cloudy.

6. Promotes the Strength of the Digestive Colon

Tomato juice is full of fibers, and these fibers help in making the process of bowel movements more efficient. Fiber helps to clean the digestive colon in a better way and hence improvises the process of excretion. Tomato Juice is also rich in antioxidants that strengthen the digestive colon, which helps cure and prevent constipation.

Downsides of Tomato Juice

The health benefits listed above make it clear that tomato juice can be beneficial to you if you add it to your daily routine, but the question that remains unanswered is that how much tomato juice is right for your health.

The excess of everything is wrong, and hence, one should only consume an adequate amount of tomato juice and that too not very frequently.

The store-bought tomato contains high amounts of sodium because the manufacturers add salt to the juice to enhance its taste. Excess sodium can be harmful to the body.

Excess sodium content in the body can raise the blood pressure of a person considerably. If a person consumes more than the desired amount of tomato juice, then it can also affect the heart in a less than positive way.

Tomato juice is nutritious and has a lot of health benefits, but a whole tomato might be a better option as tomato juice has a lesser amount of fiber. A person who is allergic to tomatoes should avoid tomato juice very strictly as it can cause indigestion, food poisoning, and diarrhea, etc.

Should You Drink Tomato Juice or Not?

Tomato Juice can be very beneficial. If the side effects can be somehow prevented, then tomato juice can be a prominent part of your daily routine.

The side effects can be prevented by only consuming the desired amount of tomato juice and avoiding buying it from the market. You can make your tomato juice at home by following the easy steps that are given below:

1. The Classic Tomato Juice

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Ingredients

  • 10 to 12 fresh tomatoes
  • 2 cups fresh celery
  • One small bowl of chopped onion
  • Some sugar ( You can add the sugar according to your taste)
  • Some black pepper (according to your taste; optional)
  • Some Tabasco sauce

Method

  • Take the fresh tomatoes and chop them finely and keep them in a bowl. Make sure that all the tomatoes are completely ripe and are nicely cut.
  • Chop the celery and don’t separate the leaves. Chop the celery with leaves, keep the chopped celery in a bowl.
  • Now add all the ingredients in a pot, and let it simmer on a medium flame. Cook the ingredients until the color change a bit. Cook the ingredients for 25 minutes.
  • When the mixture turns soupy, pour it through a food mill, or a sieve.
  • Now take the liquid juice and cool it down.
  • Drink it nice and fresh.

You can also refrigerate this juice, and it will not expire until seven days.

2. The Tomato-Watermelon smoothie

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This is another delicious recipe that you can try at home to refresh your summer days. For that, you will need:

Ingredients

  • ½ small watermelon
  • 1 and a ½ tomatoes

Method

  • Cut the watermelon into small pieces
  • Now Cut the tomatoes into small pieces.
  • Keep both the fruits in a bowl and mix them
  • Now put this mixture in a juicer and take out the juice.
  • Serve it immediately with some ice cubes

Tomato juice is very nutritious and has a long list of health benefits. Most of its health benefits are yet to be backed by science. However, most people believe that it is not good for health. It is true if you consume it in excess, and if it is artificial.

Consume only pure and homemade tomato juice, and it can improve your body’s vital processes in numerous ways. If tomato juice is consumed in adequate amounts, and if it is completely pure, then it can catapult your lifestyle to greater heights.

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