Tomato juice is one way to consume plenty of vegetables for optimal health. Most tomato juice is made by pressing the juice of a tomato through a sieve to remove the seeds and pulp. Some tomato juices use cooked tomatoes or have additional types of vegetables added to enhance the taste. According to Audrey H. Ensminger, author of "Concise Encyclopedia of Foods and Nutrition," tomato juice is a healthy addition to your diet because it is low in calories and high in nutrition.
Potassium
Potassium is a mineral that is important for the health of your heart and circulatory system. Consuming enough potassium will help ensure a normal and healthy heart beat and tomato juice supplies some potassium to help you reach your daily needs, reports Ensminger. Amy Rost, author of "Natural Healing Wisdom & Know How: Useful Practices, Recipes, and Formulas for a Lifetime of Health," adds that potassium is essential for the movement and health of your muscles. Canned and bottled tomato juice are good sources of potassium, but Ensminger recommends choosing a low sodium version to keep your salt intake in check. Fresh tomato juice contains about the same amount of potassium and can be added to recipes or consumed plain.
Vitamin C
Fresh tomato juice is a good way to consume plenty of vitamin C, reports Ensminger. Some bottled and canned tomato juices are fortified with vitamin C so they contain similar amounts. Vitamin C is a nutrient that is important for protecting you from infections and for fighting off infections, such as the virus that causes cold sores, and the virus that causes the common cold, adds Rost. Drinking tomato juice is an effective way to increase your vitamin C intake, which can also keep your immune system in good condition. Ensminger adds that unconcentrated tomato juice is rich in vitamin C, and can be added to soups and sauces to increase the vitamin C content of your food.
Lycopene
Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that can ward off a variety of life-threatening health conditions, such as cancer and heart disease, reports Rost. Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene and the juice from tomatoes contains a good deal of lycopene as well. Cooked tomatoes contain more lycopene than fresh tomatoes so look for bottled and canned juices that have been cooked because they will contain more of this important antioxidant. Fresh tomato juice contains lycopene but not as much as juices made from cooked tomatoes. Add a cup of canned or bottled tomato juice to your daily diet to get the benefits that lycopene offers to your health.
References
- "Concise Encyclopedia of Foods and Nutrition"; Audrey H. Ensminger; 1995
- "Natural Healing Wisdom & Know How: Useful Practices, Recipes, and Formulas for a Lifetime of Health"; Amy Rost; 2009
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