Tomato Sauce Can Help Lower Mildly Elevated Blood Pressure

Hitting the Sauce

A recent study has found that just 3 oz. of tomato sauce a day can help lower mildly elevated blood pressure. To put that into perspective, 3 oz. is about 3/8 cup, an amount that's easy to incorporate into lots of different dishes -- even pasta-free ones. (After all, it wouldn't make much sense to up your intake of healthy tomato sauce just to cancel out those benefits with a bowl full of refined-flour spaghetti.)

In the study, 31 people with mild hypertension (defined as an upper or systolic pressure of 140 to 159 mm Hg, and a diastolic or lower pressure of 90 to 99 mm Hg) took a 250-mg capsule of tomato extract every day for eight weeks. Each capsule had 15 mg of lycopene -- about the same amount found in 3 ounces of tomato sauce. During the study, both the upper and lower blood pressure readings of the participants decreased significantly, with the sharpest declines occurring during the final weeks of the study.

In addition to this latest information, previous studies have found that the lycopene in tomatoes offers protection against prostate cancer. Tomatoes also provide small amounts of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and other nutrients, making this news an added bonus for an already nutritionally perfect food.

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What is ...the macula?

The central -- and most vital -- part of the retina is called the macula. The sharpest vision is produced here because it contains the most light-sensing nerves. When someone develops macular degeneration, it become increasingly difficult to see due to a loss of pigment in the retina and the formation of small, yellowish deposits within the layers of the retina.

Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Editorial Director
Nutrition & Healing