Eating more tomatoes can reduce the risk of having a stroke

A chemical found in tomatoes is thought to reduce the risk of strokes, according to a new study...

12:18 17 October 2012

Finish researchers have conducted a study that looked at a chemical found in tomatoes. The findings, which are published in the journal Neurology, state that lycopene helps reduce the risk of a person suffering a stroke.

 

The study, which lasted for twelve years and looked at 1,031 men, reflected figures which nod towards including tomatoes in people’s diets. This is because by having lycopene, which helps give tomatoes their red colour, present in blood levels actually reduces strokes by over 50per cent.

 

The research that came from Finland found that males who had ingested higher levels of the chemical were less prone to strokes, rather than men who had lower amounts of lycopene in their bloodstream.

 

Participants of the study were divided in to different groups, and reportedly there were 25 out of 258 men with low levels of lycopene who suffered a stroke. Only 11 males out of 259 tested with high amounts of lycopene had a stroke.

 

Doctor Jouni Karppi, of the University of Eastern Finland, is quoted by the BBC saying: “This study adds to the evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of stroke.

 

“The results support the recommendation that people get more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, which would likely lead to a major reduction in the number of strokes worldwide, according to previous research.”

 

A body from the Stroke Association, Doctor Clare Walton, commented on the findings as reported by The Telegraph: “This study suggests that an antioxidant which is found in foods such as tomatoes, red peppers and water-melons could help to lower our stroke risk.

 

“However, this research should not deter people from eating other types of fruit and vegetables as they all have health benefits and remain an important part of a staple diet.

 

“More research is needed to help us understand why the particular antioxidant found in vegetables such as tomatoes could help keep our stroke risk down.”