Posted on: Saturday, September 13, 2003

PRESCRIPTIONS
Tomato products may lower heart disease risk

By Amy Tousman

Q. I have heard tomatoes can help prevent pro-state cancer; can they also prevent heart disease?

A. A recent Harvard University study suggests that eating one serving daily of tomato-based foods such as tomato sauce could lower your risk for heart disease. The study results were reported in the July issue of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences.

Researchers reviewed the diets of 40,000 women from the ongoing Women's Health Study. Controlling for factors such as age, family history, and health indicators, they found that the women who consumed seven or more servings of tomato-based foods per week, including tomato juice, tomatoes, tomato sauce, or pizza had a nearly 30 percent reduction in risk for heart disease compared with women who ate less than one and one half servings per week.

It is well known that an antioxidant called lycopene found in tomatoes reduces risk for prostate cancer. The Harvard researchers wanted to see if lycopene in tomatoes might also lower heart disease risk.

In this study, the lycopene intake itself was not significantly associated with reduced heart disease risk. However, when the researchers looked at food intake, there was a clear benefit to heart health for those who consumed the tomato-based products on a regular basis.

It is possible that a substance in the tomatoes other than lycopene could be providing the heart benefit. Some researchers have previously found that a substance called P3 found in tomatoes stops platelets from clumping together in the blood. This prevents formation of dangerous clots that can cause heart disease.

This study is promising due to the large number of women studied. The results agree with those of other studies on the health benefits of tomatoes. Even so, it is possible that people who showed benefits from eating the tomato foods might eat healthier overall than those who ate less tomatoes. Their diets may have been higher in fruits and vegetables to begin with. More research is needed to control for these factors.

Although these results are preliminary, this study suggests that tomatoes can have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease prevention. If choosing pizza, chili, or spaghetti for your tomato sauce serving, try the vegetarian varieties which give you the benefits of tomato sauce without the artery clogging fatty meats found in these foods. For great flavor, try our locally grown Kamuela and Hau'ula tomatoes.

Amy Tousman is a registered dietitian with the Health Education Center of Straub Clinic and Hospital. Hawai'i experts in traditional medicine, naturopathic medicine and diet take turns writing the Prescriptions column.

Send your questions to: Prescriptions, Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; fax 535-8170; e-mail islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com. This column is not intended to provide medical advice.