The average American senior takes more than five prescription drugs.
Among the most common are blood pressure and cholesterol medications.[1]
But new research shows that one type of fruit juice may be as effective as these drugs…without the dangerous side effects that come with hypertension meds and statins.[2]
The study was published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition. Researchers gathered 481 subjects. Scientists gave the participants an unlimited supply of unsalted tomato juice.
Ninety-four participants went into the study with borderline high blood pressure. After a year of drinking tomato juice, their systolic (upper number) readings dropped from an average of 141.2 to 137 mmHg. Their diastolic (lower number) average went from 83.3 to 80.9 mmHg.
This effect is comparable to taking a hypertension drug.
People with high LDL (bad) cholesterol also benefited. They went from an average of 155 to149.9 mg/dL.
The improved numbers held true for both genders and across all age groups.
The authors wrote that their study shows unsalted tomato juice intake can improve heart disease risk markers. They recommend the beverage as “an affordable and readily available… nutritional intervention to prevent (heart disease) in people at risk.”
Tomato Juice Slashes Heart Disease Risk
The study used Del Monte brand unsalted tomato juice. Other unsalted tomato juices would likely work just as well. Avoid salted brands such as V8.
An even better alternative would be to buy an organic, unsalted brand of tomato juice. You can find them online or at health food stores.
Or you can make your own juice from organic tomatoes. Most of the study subjects drank about a cup a day.
Getting tomatoes in other forms, such as in sauces or eating whole tomatoes, likely has the same benefits. But remember to leave out the salt.
Editor’s Note: Discover other natural, nondrug methods to improve your health by reading Independent Healing. It’s your best source for unbiased, evidence-based health information.
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[1]https://www.mdmag.com/conference-coverage/aafp_2010/how-many-pills-do-your-elderly-patients-take-each-day
[2]https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.1066