Tomato Soup – benefits

Tomato Soup – Benefits For Weight Loss, Skin, Pregnancy + Homemade Vegan Recipe:

Tomato soup is a comforting lunch and if is dressed up with some garnishes, it makes a refined start to a dinner party.

Nutrition Facts

It contains a vast array of vitamins (such as A – in the form of carotenoids, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, E, and K) and minerals – iron, calcium, manganese, zinc, potassium, selenium, sodium, phosphorous, magnesium, and copper.

Tomatoes are also a good source of dietary fiber, providing about 1.5 grams per average-sized tomato.

Furthermore, tomatoes contain coumaric and chlorogenic acids, two organic acids that are believed to protect the body against the effects of nitrosamines (an important group of carcinogens found in tobacco products) and are also formed naturally in the body.

Moreover, they contain lycopene which has been well-researched for its powerful effects when it comes to stopping cancerous tumor growth.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Eating Tomato Soup?

Skin Health

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate, is an antioxidant that is a structural component of the ligament, cartilage, blood vessels, tendons, and skin. The presence of vitamin C is useful for acne sufferers and its naturally acidic properties help in removing the excessive oil.

Furthermore, the vitamin C content in tomatoes is beneficial in building healthy teeth, bones, and gums. According to some studies, vitamin C also affects positively several aspects of cardiac health, ranging from endothelial health to blood pressure.

A 1-cup serving of this soup supplies 32,5 milligrams of vitamin C, which is about 36 percent of what you need each day.

Eye Health

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that can greatly improve your overall health. It plays a direct role in performing numerous physiological functions and also in the growth of the central nervous system.

In addition, stroke patients who have high levels of this vitamin in their systems have lower chances to suffer disabilities or to die from the stroke.

Due to their high concentration of vitamin A and antioxidant properties, tomatoes can improve eye health, particularly for macular degeneration sufferers.

A 1-cup serving of this soup provides 1399.4 IU of vitamin A, which is about 47 percent of the daily recommended value.

During Pregnancy

This soup is a good source of vitamin B9 (also known as folate, which is different from folic acid – the synthetic version). Vitamin B9 prevents NTDs – neural tube defects, birth defects of the brain (like – anencephaly), and the spinal cord (like – spina bifida).

Folate also improves the production of red blood cells in your physical body, which is vital during pregnancy as you tend to develop iron anemia, especially in the first 2 trimesters.

Iron anemia during pregnancy can also increase the risk of low birth weight of the baby and premature labor. More importantly, it can weaken the mother’s immune system, which ultimately may lead to more often infections.

A 1-cup serving of this soup gives 1,7 mg of iron, which is about 25% of what you need each day. Plus, it is an excellent source of vitamin C, which enhances iron absorption.

Lastly, vitamin A content is beneficial for tissue development because it activates the genes of the newborn cells, facilitating growth into mature and healthy tissue.

Lowers Bad Cholesterol

Fiber, also known as roughage, is only found in foods from plants, such as grains, legumes, seeds, fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Tomatoes are rich in dietary fiber that helps to reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol in the body and to improve the level of HDL cholesterol.

According to a review of 22 studies published in the BMJ, for every seven grams of dietary fiber consumed daily, your risk of cardiovascular disease lowers by 9%.

Good for Type 2 Diabetics

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most common type of diabetes and is a disorder in which sugar levels build up in your bloodstream due to too much fat in the cells.

Type 2 diabetes is more frequent in adults, however, in recent years, this illness has started to affect children as childhood obesity is more common. This soup can be a good addition to a diabetic’s diet because it contains chromium, a rare mineral that facilitates the regulation of blood sugar.

Cancer Prevention

Worldwide, there are an estimated 17 million new cases of cancer every year.

Tomatoes contain lycopene, a strong antioxidant that is believed to provide protection from prostate cancer in men. Interestingly, if you cook the tomatoes, the production of lycopene increases. This nutrient has also been proven to lower bad cholesterol levels and guard against the aging of the skin.

Moreover, lycopene can be helpful with cardiovascular and diabetes problems and also maintain healthy vision, especially by preventing cataracts.

Stimulates Your Brain

Copper is a trace mineral that your body must have to function correctly. The majority of copper in the body is found in the brain, liver, kidneys, heart, and skeletal muscle.

This mineral helps the body use iron, assists with proper growth in children, promotes wound healing, regulates heart rate, plays a role in energy production and enzymatic reactions, and strengthens muscles and bones.

In addition, it is known to stimulate your brain, which is why a food high in this mineral is frequently classified as “brain food”.

Recipe For Homemade Vegan Tomato Soup (No Oil)

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks of celery;
  • 1 carrot;
  • 2 cloves of garlic;
  • 2 onions;
  • 600ml of vegetable stock;
  • 8 large ripe tomatoes;
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil;
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley;
  • black pepper;
  • 1 tsp turmeric;
  • 1 tsp sugar;
  • 1 tsp Himalayan salt.

Method

In a large saucepan, add the carrot, onions, celery, and garlic. Cook for 15 minutes until soft. Add the sugar, black pepper, turmeric, and tomatoes. Stir and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock a little at a time, whisking to keep smooth, until all the vegetable stock is added. Add the Himalayan salt, then taste and adjust the seasoning with additional pepper, and turmeric, as needed. Add basil and parsley. Enjoy!

Tip – if you have high blood pressure, do not use salt in this recipe.

Side Effects

The only known side effect of this soup is its high sodium content. Sodium is essential for contracting your muscles, for transmitting nerve impulses, and for maintaining fluid balance within your cells.

However, high sodium intake increases blood pressure which may lead to heart disease. Excessive intake of sodium can contribute to stomach ulcers (a sore on the lining of your stomach). In addition, more sodium in the diet forces the kidneys to keep more water in the system.

A 1-cup serving of this soup provides 798 mg of sodium, which is about 53% of the daily recommended value.

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References

http://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/issues/10_7/current-articles/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3850026/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4406031/

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