Why You Should Be Drinking Tomato Juice

Maybe there really was something to the Mad Men characters always ordering tomato juice at their breakfasts. 

You say “tomato,” we say “waist-shrinking superfood.” A new study from the China Medical University in Taiwan found that women who drank a daily nine-ounce glass of tomato juice for two months saw a significant decrease in body fat and body weight. The best part: The women didn’t change anything else in their diet or exercise routines.

See more: 7 Easy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Even those who didn’t lose body fat still saw some benefits: an average reduction in waist circumference of 1.6 cm, lower cholesterol levels, and increased lycopene levels. Lycopene, the antioxidant that gives tomatoes—among other red and pink fruits and vegetables—their bright color, has been credited for tons of healthy bonuses. It’s been shown to build a better immune system, lower cholesterol, reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer, and protect against heart disease. In fact, a 2013 study by Tufts and Boston University researchers found the highest average intakes of lycopene to be linked with a 26 percent reduction in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease.

Does it work on men, too? Good question. This particular study was performed with 30 women—and no men. But considering the average waist circumference of men over the age of 20 has crept up to an alarming 39.7 inches, it’s probably worth giving the not-quite-a-vegetable juice a try. Don’t like the stuff? Book a flight to, well, anywhere, and you may develop a penchant for it: Tomato juice, a popular order on airplanes, has been scientifically proven to taste better at 3,000 feet than at sea level.

By Lisa Freedman

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