Eating Tomatoes Helps Ward Off Depression

People who consume tomatoes two to six times a week are less likely to suffer from depression than those who consume less than once a week, finds study.

Eating them every day slashed the risk by 52%, according to the study.

Health Benefits of Tomato
Tomatoes are a rich source of potassium and vitamins. Tomatoes are used in the manufacture of skin care products. They have a whole lot of health benefits and one prominent benefit is its role in reducing prostate cancer risk.

But other fruits and vegetables do not have the same benefits. Eating healthy foods like cabbage, carrots, onions and pumpkins appeared to have little or no effect on psychological well-being, the study found.

Tomatoes are good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that gives them their deep red colour and has been linked with reducing the risk of prostate cancer and heart attacks.

The team of researchers from China and Japan, led by Dr Kaijun Niu from China's Tianjin Medical University, wanted to investigate preliminary reports that lycopene might also promote psychological and well as physical health by reducing oxidative stress, or damage to healthy brain cells.

Quiz on Depression
The World Health Organization reports that depression is one of the main causes of disability affecting about 121 million people worldwide. More tragically, it claims around 850,000 lives every year. Hence, it is important that we understand this affliction to help ourselves or our loved ones to cope and, hopefully, resolve it. How well do you know the facts about depression? Take this quiz and find out.

They analysed the mental health records and dietary habits of just under 1,000 elderly Japanese men and women aged 70 or over.

The researchers said they cannot be sure if lycopene in tomatoes directly affects the mind, or whether it simply protects against the depression caused when people develop potentially fatal diseases like cancer.

Gene Altered Tomatoes Reduce Plaque Build-up
In mice, genetically engineered tomatoes produce a peptide that mimics the actions of good cholesterol.

"These results suggest that a tomato-rich diet may have a beneficial effect on the prevention of depressive symptoms. In contrast, no relationship was observed with intake of other kinds of vegetables," the Daily Mail quoted the researchers as writing in a report on the findings published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Source-ANI

Tomatoes Lower Risk of Stroke
Tomatoes help reduce risk of stroke, according to a new research published in Neurology. Tomatoes are high in the antioxidant lycopene.