Could Bloody Mary's Prevent Heart Disease?
High dietary intake of tomato juice may lower LDL cholesterol and increase its resistance to oxidation. In a study involving 21 healthy subjects put on a high tomato diet, results indicate that increased dietary intake of tomato products may exert heart protective effects. The high tomato diet was associated with significant reductions in total cholesterol (5.9%) and LDL cholesterol (12.9%), compared with a low tomato diet. The reductions in total and LDL cholesterol were positively correlated with the increases in serum lycopene, beta-carotene, and gamma-carotene concentrations. The "high tomato" group was given 13 ounces of tomato juice plus some ketchup daily. I would take the risk of substituting a dash of Tabasco sauce for the ketchup. As moderate alcohol consumption also helps the heart, this raises an interesting way to stay heart healthy. ;-)
Reference:
"Tomato juice decreases LDL cholesterol levels and increases LDL resistance to oxidation," Silaste ML, Horkko S, et al, Br J Nutr, 2007; 98(6): 1251-8.
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the world's leading integrative medical authorities on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. He is the lead author of eight research studies on their effective treatments, and has published numerous health & wellness books, including the bestseller on fibromyalgia From Fatigued to Fantastic! and The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. Dr. Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted fibromyalgia experts in the world and appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and Fox News Health.
