Did tomato juice protects against stroke?

Many people drink it only in the plane: tomato juice. A new study shows that it may be useful, otherwise more often resorting to the red drink.

Lycopene, which is found in concentrated form in tomatoes, strengthens cerebral vessels and can protect against stroke. This is the result of a recent study. Researchers wanted to find out exactly why the consumption of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of many diseases and which components are responsible for the vascular protective effect.

In the fact that consumption of fruits and vegetables is healthy, hardly anyone doubted. But so far came studies that try to demonstrate the specific effects of vitamins and radical scavengers on the vessels, often contradictory results. Researchers have made a new attempt. They determined the serum levels of various antioxidants in excess of 1,000 men and subjected the volunteers in the next twelve years, with periodic medical examinations. In this period occurred 67 strokes among the participants. The researchers are now setting the standard values of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, retinol and lycopene in relation to the stroke rate.

High lycopene values = low risk of stroke.

The scientists found significant differences between subjects. When the participants were studied without stroke, the figure was at the beginning of the study at 0.16 micromoles per liter, with those who had a stroke, however, only 0:11 micromoles per Liter. Have other risk factors, such as age, blood pressure, smoking or weight subtracted, was found for the men with the highest lycopene values a lower 55 percent rate of stroke than for those with the lowest values.

In addition, it is also possible that the lycopene value generally represents a particular style diet and therefore is not necessarily a protection factor. The study authors emphasize, however, that the high antioxidant activity of lycopene speak that it actually has a positive effect on the vessels.