Why Should You Add Tomato Soup In Your Diet?

Why Should You Add Tomato Soup In Your Diet?

We all love a warm and flavorsome tomato soup on chilly winter days. But did you know that tomato soup has many health benefits?

Tomatoes are rich in minerals, vitamins, plant compounds, and antioxidants, making them beneficial for our health. These nutrients and plant compounds can help in preventing multiple diseases, including cancer and heart diseases. 

In this article, we have listed the health benefits of a warm and delicious bowl of tomato soup. Let’s check them out.

Tomato Soup Health Benefits

Tomato soup has numerous benefits including weight loss, improving mental health, improving sight and so many others. read about the benefits of tomato soup in detail.

High in Nutrients

Tomato soup is low on calories and is loaded with plant compounds and nutrients. Below we have mentioned the nutrient content of 182-gram tomato.

  • Calories: 33
  • Fat: 0.4 grams
  • Fiber: 2 grams
  • Carbs: 7 grams
  • Protein: 1.6 grams
  • Vitamin A: 8% of the DV
  • Vitamin K: 12% of the DV
  • Potassium: 9% of the DV
  • Vitamin C: 28% of the Daily Value (DV)

Tomatoes contain carotenoids and lycopene, which makes up for 80% of the daily lycopene requirements. 

Lycopene is a pigment that is responsible for the red color in tomatoes. It also has numerous health benefits. Many research resents that lycopene is better absorbed in the body when cooked. Heat increases the absorption rate of the lycopene.  

Loaded with Antioxidants

Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants that neutralize the bad effects of oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative damage occurs when the free radicals (cell-damaging molecules) accumulate in the body. 

Consuming antioxidant-rich foods is linked to a low risk of cancer and inflammation diseases like heart diseases and obesity. Many research presents that the most common antioxidants ( flavonoids and Vitamin C) protect against heart disease, brain disease, and type 2 diabetes. Vitamin E boosts the antioxidant effects of Vitamin C.

Bone Health

Tomato soup contains calcium and Vitamin K, which are great for bone health. Lycopene found in tomato soup helps in improving bone mass and fight osteoporosis. 

Osteoporosis is a chronic bone disease characterized by high bone fragility and fracture. Lycopene deficiency increases oxidative stress damage in the bones. Consuming low sodium tomato soup regularly decreases the blood levels of TNF alpha by 34%.

Cardiovascular Health

Tomato is rich in Vitamin C, and so is the tomato soup; this is why it helps in arterial protection. Tomato soup benefits by strengthening the heart and protecting from diseases like stroke and artery blockage. 

Vitamin C content in the tomato soup also reduces the fat deposition in the blood vessels and reduces the level of bad cholesterol. You will be surprised to know that tomato soup also prevents platelet cells from clumping in the blood. 

Blood Circulation

A low sodium tomato soup is good for blood circulation as it contains Selenium. Selenium promotes blood circulation and prevents anemia. One regular serving of tomato soup contains seven micrograms of Selenium, which amounts to 11% of the daily selenium requirement.

Mental Health

If you wonder whether tomato soup is good for you, you will be surprised to learn about tomato soup’s mental health benefits. 

Tomato soup contains a high concentration of copper and Potassium. Copper boosts the nervous system, and Potassium helps in the transmission of nerve signals. All these combined are necessary for keeping your mental health top-notch. 

Vitamins

Tomato is a rich source of Vitamin A and C. Vitamin A helps develop tissue and activates the genes of the new cell, helping them grow into mature cells. One bowl of low sodium tomato soup contains 16% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin A 

Vitamin C is great for maintaining the health of ligaments and tendons. You get 20% of the daily required value of Vitamin C in one bowl of tomato soup. This justifies that tomato soup is numerous benefits to keep the body healthy. 

Weight Loss

Not many people know this, low sodium tomato soup has weight loss benefits when prepared using olive oil. It is the most important part of the weight loss diet plan. Tomato soup contains lots of water and fiber, which helps in keeping you full for a longer time. Although tomato soup alone is not sufficient for weight loss, you need to burn calories and fat deposits from your body simultaneously. Hey! But we dont mind a delicious way to lose weight.

Cancer-Fighting Capabilities

Tomato soup is a rich source of antioxidants like carotenoid and lycopene, which are known for their cancer-fighting properties. High levels of antioxidants in tomato soup have the main benefit of reducing chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. 

Regular consumption of tomato soup helps in preventing breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate. It also prevents colorectal and stomach cancer. 

Male Fertility

Many studies present that the tomato soup bowl can boost fertility in males. The presence of lycopene content in tomato soup can turn your sperm into super sperm. Tomato soup helps increase the sperm count and hunts down all infertility, causing free radicals in men. If you are trying to conceive a baby, add tomato soup to your everyday diet. 

Diabetes

Tomato is an excellent food for diabetic patients. It is rich in chromium, a mineral that keeps a check on blood sugar levels. 

Boosts Immunity 

Tomato soup is a very common home remedy for treating the common cold. The carotenoid and vitamin C content in tomato soup benefits the body by stimulating the immune system. The research presents that Vitamin C prevents the common cold and also reduces the severity and duration of flu and cold symptoms.  

Prevents Heart Diseases

Regular consumption of low sodium tomato soup reduces total and LDL levels- the two major heart disease-causing factors. All thanks to the presence of vitamin C and lycopene content in tomato soup. 

Both vitamin C and lycopene helps in preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol levels, which is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis. Lycopene also helps in reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine while simultaneously improving the HDL functions in the body.  

High blood pressure is one of the risk factors for heart diseases. The presence of carotenoids in tomatoes also helps in lowering blood pressure. 

Improved Vision and Healthy Skin

A bowl of tomato soup with healthy ingredients prevents diseases and benefits the skin and eyes. Lycopene and beta carotene also helps in protecting the skin from sunburn, as it absorbs the UV light and acts as a defense against UV damage.  

Vitamin A and Carotenoids in tomatoes are beneficial for eye health. Eating tomatoes reduces the risk of macular degeneration and vision loss because of growing age.

Side Effects of Tomato Soup

No doubt, tomato soup has plenty of health benefits; it also comes with some side effects.

  • Trigger for GERD

Tomatoes are generally considered safe to consume; however, they can act as triggers food for GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

GERD is a very common illness in the US. The common symptoms of GERD include chest pain, heartburn, and difficulty swallowing. You need to eliminate triggering foods in order to treat GERD, including tomato soup.

  • High Salt Content

All canned soups, including tomato soups, have high salt content, which increases the risk of high blood pressure in both adults and children. High salt consumption every day can increase the risk of many health diseases. 

Tomato soup, whether canned or handmade, contains heavy cream, leading to weight gain because these are high in calorie and fat content. When making your own tomato soup, use healthy ingredients to manage the calorie count, fat, and salt content. 

Final Words:

Tomato soup has many health benefits, including reducing heart diseases, improving fertility, and cancer-fighting properties. It also makes a great addition to a weight loss diet. However, try to consume homemade tomato soup made with healthy ingredients and avoid high salt content and fatty cream to reduce the calorie count. 

Shubhrata

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