This information comes from an impressive, large collaboration of Spanish scientists.
They initiated this study because there has been some conflicting evidence on the effects of the consumption of tomatoes on blood pressure. The conflicting data all came from epidemiological (epi) studies. These are studies on typically large groups of people that can mainly find associations or links.
Study results from epi studies cannot prove cause and effect.
This present Spanish real-life human study assesses whether tomato consumption (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is associated with Systolic (SBP) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP). And how this affects blood pressure.
With 7,000+ patients being tracked for 3 years.
Thus, this is a prospective 3-year longitudinal study in older adults at high cardiovascular risk. Looking at how much tomatoes you eat affects your blood pressure levels. Or not.
Study Details
Methods: The study was carried out within the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial involving 7,056 (82.5% hypertensive) participants.
The tomato consumption (g/d) was measured using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and categorized into four groups consuming so many ounces of tomatoes/daily:
lowest (<44 g),
intermediate (44-82 g),
upper-intermediate (82 -110 g),
and highest (>110 g).
Results: An inverse association between tomato consumption and diastolic blood pressure was observed between the intermediate group β = -0.65 mmHg [95% CI:-1.20, -0.10] and the lowest consumption group.
This means (approximately) consuming f1/5 to 1/2 ounces of tomatoes helps to maintain healthy blood pressure.
And eating more has even more blood pressure positive control. Including those with lower levels but still had high blood pressure.
A significant inverse association was observed for blood pressure in grade 1 hypertension participants in the intermediate tomato consumption group.
Three ounces of tomatoes a day, 110 grams or more, significantly reduces the risk of hypertension. Even Grade 1 Hypertension.
Grade 1 hypertension is having systolic BP of 140-159 mmHg and/or diastolic BP of 90-99 mmHg.
1 large tomato, = 7 ounces
1 medium tomato, = 3 ounces
1 cherry tomato, = ½ - 2 ounces
Conclusions by Spanish investigators: Tomato consumption, including tomato-based products, is beneficial in preventing and managing hypertension. Higher tomato intake reduces hypertension risk by 36%, and moderate consumption lowers blood pressure, especially in grade 1 hypertension.
International Guidelines
This has classified hypertension into three different classes,
Grade 1 hypertension (SBP of 140-159 mmHg and/or DBP of 90-99 mmHg);
Grade 2 hypertension (SBP of 160-179 mmHg and/or DBP of 100-109 mmHg);
Grade 3 hypertension (SBP ≥’bad180 mmHg and/or DBP ≥110 mmHg)
Food as Medicine
Does this mean that if you have high blood pressure, you can “fix” it by eating more tomato products? Not really. But it does imply that generously adding more tomato products contributes to those food items watching your “physiological blood pressure ‘back’.
Also, tomatoes are a tasty, robust source of anti-cancer-protective lycopene.
Lycopene, a carotenoid, has been shown to help fight various cancers.
Tomatoes used to be considered poisonous. Some questionable health gurus paint a wrong wide swath mis-maligning tomatoes, at least for many.
Also, replicated studies have not consistently linked tomato consumption with GERD, as has been historically thought. Of course, everything is individual, more than dictums.
But as you can see, tomatoes are a most misunderstood, underappreciated food.
If you enjoy tomatoes, do not feel guilty. Rather, think of it as your “Food As Medicine”.
Knowledge is power. And it can be tasty!
Dr. B.
Reference:
Association between tomato consumption and blood pressure in an older population at high cardiovascular risk: observational analysis of PREDIMED trial. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2023 Nov 24:zwad363
In our house tomatoes are on everyday menu! This summer I make plenty jars with farm fresh tomatoes and peppers for winter. Hungarian Lečo is delicious recipe, very often for our summer breakfast with farm pastured eggs!😋
Thank you dr.B for knowledge powerful informations.
I have for decades been lectured like a little boy that if I didn't take these dangerous toxic prescriptions to control my hypertension - then I would essentially "die."
Hypertension is classified as iatrogenic , that is no one official medico has a clue what causes it (I say there are multiple causes)
Yet it's a long established fact that in this world of physics there is always a reason for a cause - and resultant effect.
Not once in years did any medical practitioner ever say to me " let's find the cause(s) and 'nip it in the bud' "
Instead they were very fast to prescribe anti hypertension chemicals which if I am not mistaken taking 1 puts a person at a 33% risk for stroke, taking 2 increases risk of stroke by 100+% and ingesting 3 simultaneously increases risk of stroke by 200+ %.
No thanks no strokes for me!
I'm still.around after 20 + years largely of no chemical prescriptions and no ill effects.