Cooked Tomatoes Effective in Cutting Heart Disease Risks

Cooked tomatoes have been found to be effective in lowering heart disease risks because they contain higher quantities of vital antioxidant, according to a recent study.

Twenty men took part in the trial in which half were served tomato sauce following a high-fat meal, while others will have the meal without the sauce. Researchers from the University of Verona claim that 80 grams a day of tomato sauce can improve the ill-effects of a high-fat mean on the lining of the blood vessels and prevent endothelial dysfunction - a condition which precedes atherosclerosis or the furring up of the arteries.

Lycopene, the antioxidant which gives tomatoes their red color has been found to have various health benefits, especially when consumed cooked and in larger quantities. The website Fit Day also released the top five benefits of tomatoes claiming that one medium whole tomato contains around 22 calories, zero grams of fat, five grams of carbohydrates, one gram of dietary fiber, one gram of protein and six milligrams of sodium. Tomatoes also provide 40 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, 20 percent of the RDA of vitamin A, two percent of the RDA of iron and one percent of the RDA of calcium.

Other than this, tomatoes are also said to be effective in warding off cancer, specifically lung, stomach and prostate cancers. Since tomatoes are high in antioxidants such as vitamins C and A, they also work to fend of DNA damage from free radicals. Tomatoes may also protect against thrombosis and ward off inflammation.