Tomato juice | tomatoes | overconsuming tomatoes |TheHealthSite.com | TheHealthSite.com (2024)

Sipping a glass of unsalted tomato juice can help in lowering blood pressure, finds a recent study. But going overboard on it can lead to various health conditions.

"In December, /unabated, /the tomato /invades /the kitchen, /it enters at lunchtime, /takes /its ease/on countertops, /among glasses, /butter dishes, /blue saltcellars. / It sheds/ its own light, / benign majesty." This is how poet Pablo Neruda describes this blood-red veggie in his famous poem Ode to Tomatoes raising this innocuous and rather mundane kitchen regular to sublime heights. Well, tomatoes are an indispensable part of our culinary life, and for good reasons. You can have them in the form of salad, make juice with them or include them in your favourite dishes. But tomatoes don't only add that tangy taste to your dishes, they come with innumerable nutritional and health benefits.

A recent study published in the journal Food Science and Nutrition finds that drinking unsalted tomato juice can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol level in adults who are at risk of cardiovascular disease. Good news, isn't it? This vegetable, almost omnipresent in every kitchen, can protect you against sunburn, counter the effect of smoking cigarette, improve vision, aid in digestion, and what not!

While the utility of tomatoes is well-established, one shouldn't turn a blind eye to the side effects they can threaten your health with, if you go overboard on them. 'Excess of everything is bad', runs the saying and it is true for these lush red veggies too. We tell you how tomatoes, Neruda's 'benign majesty', can weak havoc on your health if you don't practise moderation while including them in your juices and dishes. Here are some health conditions associated with them.

Cardiovascular problems

Love tomato juice? Don't use canned tomatoes for the preparation. Buy fresh ones from your supermarket. Canned tomatoes are rich in sodium. So, they are likely to increase your blood pressure. Too much sodium retains excess fluid in the body increased the burden on your heart. Excessive consumption of canned tomatoes increases the risk of stroke, stomach cancer, kidney disease, osteoporosis, heart failure, etc.

Acid reflux

According to a study published in the journal Family Practice, eating a lot of tomatoes can cause gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Due to the presence of malic acid and citric acid, tomatoes can make your stomach way too acidic. After the initiation of digestion, the acidic contents of the tomatoes result in the release of excess gastric acid in your stomach. This excess acid flows back in the food pipe, causing uneasiness, heartburn, or acid reflux. Therefore, people suffering from digestive stress or having symptoms of GERD should either avoid tomatoes or have them in moderation.

Allergies

You will find a complex compound known as histamine in tomatoes. This compound can be involved in the inflammatory response that leads to allergies or skin rashes. This allergy is medically known as type 1 hypersensitivity to tomatoes. Basically, these are contact allergies. If you are allergic to tomatoes, coming in contact with it can lead to the release of histamine in the exposed areas (skin, nose, and respiratory and digestive tracts). This can cause the allergic reaction. If you are allergic to this vegetable you can develop certain symptoms instantly after having it in any form. The symptoms include coughing, sneezing, hives, skin reactions, eczema, irritation in throat, swelling of the face, mouth and tongue, etc.

Kidney stones

Tomatoes come with a lot of calcium and oxalate. Your body is not capable of breaking down these excessive amounts of these elements and flushing them out. This can lead to calcium and oxalate to deposit in your body resulting in kidney stones. The symptoms of kidney stone include pain while urinating, nausea, vomiting, blood in the urine, sharp pain your back, etc.

Joint pain

Tomato contains an alkaloid called solanine. Its presence in this red vegetable is responsible for the accumulation of calcium in your tissues. This may result in inflammation and further lead to swelling and pain in the joints. Solanine also contains histamine. If the levels of this complex chemical increase, you may experience excruciating pain during movement. That is how excessive consumption of tomatoes can lead to the development of arthritis.

Lycopenodermia

Tomatoes are jam-packed with a plant nutrient called lycopene. This chemical is considered good for your health. However, excess amount of lycopene can lead to Lycopenodermia. It is a condition in which lycopene accumulation in the blood of a person leads to discolouration of the skin. The affected area may appear to be deep orange. This condition is self-limiting and doesn't have serious consequences.

Diarrhoea

A bacterium known as Salmonella may be present in tomatoes. It is responsible for causing diarrhoea. Generally, people do not get this condition after having tomatoes. However, people allergic to this vegetable may develop. This is because of the presence of excess acidic and greasy contents in them. They may lead to uncontrolled bowel movement, increasing your trips to the bathroom.

Bloating

Do you feel bloated after a meal? Check if you are having too many tomatoes. The indigestible skin and seeds of this vegetable can actually trigger irritable bowel movements resulting in bloating.

Prostate cancer

According to a study published in the journal Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, excessive consumption of lycopene can increase your risk of prostate cancer. However, lycopene content in tomatoes remains high only when it is raw. After cooking, its levels go down. So, if you are a tomato lover, avoid having it raw in salads or juices.