Tomato juice is healthy – and much healthier than most people think.
This is not only due to the nutritional profile of the juice, but also the high content of the carotenoid lycopene in tomatoes .
Several studies have shown that lycopene in tomato juice can be used to prevent and counteract certain health problems.
However, the research is not yet extensive enough to consider lycopene or tomatoes to be proven treatment options.
Which tomato juice should I buy?
Tomato juice is now available in most grocery stores and in some specialty stores you can also find tomato juice of particularly high quality. No matter where you buy your tomato juice, we always recommend that you only choose an organic variant.
Is tomato juice healthy?
The short answer is: yes, tomato juice is healthy. In addition to the nutrient and mineral content of tomatoes, it's the substance lycopene in particular that is said to be beneficial to health (read more about lycopene below).
Nutritionally, the high content of vitamins A and C in tomato juice is particularly interesting. Tomato juice is also rich in beta-carotene (a precursor of vitamin A), a nutrient probably best known from carrots.
Lycopene
Tomato juice, raw tomatoes and most other tomato products contain the carotenoid lycopene, which is a dye that gives tomatoes their red color. Lycopene is also found in some other red fruits and vegetables (such as watermelon, papaya, pink grapefruit and red carrots), but not all (e.g. not in strawberries, cherries or red peppers).
The effects of lycopene on human health have long been researched and in recent years, several studies have confirmed that the substance is preventive and effective against several diseases and health problems. Because tomatoes (and tomato juice) are particularly high in lycopene, the role of tomatoes in human health has long been of interest.
The properties of tomato juice
There are many studies on the effects of tomato juice on various health problems – too many to go through them all here, but below we'll go through some of the most studied properties and the research behind them.
Overall, tomato juice has no proven effect on any diseases or health problems – but there is no doubt that the juice is healthy and that the ingredient lycopene has several beneficial effects on human health.
Cancer
There are several studies on the effects of lycopene on cancer and most have concluded fairly conclusively that consuming tomato-based products can reduce the risk of cancer. The effect is best documented on lung, stomach, skin, breast, liver and prostate cancer, but it is not yet considered proven. It is also not known whether this anti-cancer effect is due to the high lycopene content of tomatoes alone or whether there are other ingredients in tomatoes that are important for the effect. If you want to supplement your body with extra lycopene to fight cancer, it is recommended that you only consume lycopene naturally (i.e. by eating tomatoes and tomato-based products and not by taking lycopene-containing supplements or similar), as this is the only way to ensure that the lycopene has its optimal effect in the body.
Menopause
A 2015 study investigated the effect of tomato juice on menopausal women. The study included 95 women aged 40-60 who had experienced at least one symptom of menopause. The conclusion was that tomato juice can reduce the following symptoms in menopausal women: anxiety, increased blood triglyceride levels, increased heart rate and increased resting energy expenditure (REE).
Obesity
Tomato juice may be used to treat obesity. A 2015 study found that a daily intake of 280 ml of tomato juice can reduce waist circumference and blood cholesterol, among other things. Another study found that tomato juice can reduce oxidative stress in obese women, which could “protect against obesity-related diseases and promote health”. However, the latter study seems less serious and more commercial than the former.
Metabolic diseases
In medical circles, lycopene's properties in relation to metabolism have been studied for several years. This has led to the assumption that lycopene may be used in the treatment of metabolic disorders. There are many studies on the effect of lycopene on metabolism and metabolic diseases, but only a few have used tomato juice. In 2014, for example, a study found that tomato juice can be used to treat metabolic syndrome. Although there has been a lot of research in this area, tomato juice itself is not yet considered a viable treatment for metabolic disorders.
Other diseases
A 2014 study concluded that tomato juice can be used to reduce systemic inflammation in obese women, possibly reducing the risk of inflammatory diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease associated with obesity.
In addition, as mentioned, there are other studies on the effects of tomato juice on various health problems, but it is too extensive to include them all here. In addition, many of the studies are very small, poorly designed or less serious.
Tomato juice on airplanes
It may sound strange, but tomato juice is one of the most popular drinks on airplanes – also in the form of the well-known drink Bloody Mary. A good example to illustrate the popularity is German airline Lufthansa, which serves around 200,000 liters of tomato juice on its planes every year; and compared to serving 223,000 liters of beer, the amount of tomato juice is remarkable.
The phenomenon is due to a combination of several things:
- History: Tomato juice has long been a staple on the menu of almost every airline. The tradition dates back to the early days of airliners, when airplanes were noisy and shaky and passengers generally suffered a lot from fear of flying. During this time, all airlines served unlimited free drinks to calm passengers' nerves and it wasn't uncommon for people to stumble drunkenly through customs. Tomato juice was introduced alongside a range of other drinks to reduce the amount of pure liquor on flights and it has stuck around ever since.
- Airplane cabin: The environment in an airplane cabin is different to the environment on the ground (lower pressure and humidity, for example) and this causes our sense of taste and smell to change. Even strong spices such as curry lose almost all their flavor in the cabin. This change in taste is also one of the reasons why airline food has a bad reputation. When it comes to tomato juice, however, the opposite is true; it actually gets better in the cabin. This also explains why most people rate the taste of tomato juice better in the air than on the ground (and yes, this has actually been scientifically tested).
- Purpose: By surveying a wide range of airline passengers, it was found that people drink tomato juice on planes for different reasons; some find it fills the stomach, while others say it has a calming effect on the stomach and reduces motion sickness.
- Availability: Many people also choose tomato juice simply because it's available. Very often people haven't decided what they want to drink when asked by the flight attendant – and when the person next to them orders a tomato juice, many tend to choose the same.
Tomato juice recipe
Making your own tomato juice is easy – and with organic tomatoes, you're 100% sure you're getting a completely pure and natural juice.
Initial tips
- The sweetness of the tomatoes: Some tomatoes are sweeter than others; it's a matter of trial and error
- Tomato ripeness: Always use the ripest tomatoes you can find
- Sugar: Adding sugar or other sweeteners balances the acidity of the tomatoes
- Tabasco: Tabasco or other hot sauces can also be added to make the tomato juice stronger and spicier
Ingredients
- 2 kg very ripe tomatoes, cut into large cubes (remove the stem root)
- 1 cup celery (with leaves if desired), chopped
- 1/3 cup onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp. sugar (to taste – stevia can also be substituted)
- 1 tsp. salt
- A little black pepper, freshly ground (to taste)
- 6 – 8 drops Tabasco (to taste – other hot sauces can also be used)
Method of preparation
- Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil
- Simmer uncovered until the consistency is soupy (approx. 25 min.)
- Press the mixture through a strainer
- Allow the mixture to cool completely
- Pour the finished juice into a suitable container and place in the fridge
The tomato juice can be stored for up to 1 week in the fridge.