Tomato juice: properties and application

One of the most popular and loved by many drinks is vegetable tomato juice.It is drunk raw, taken to make cocktails, including alcohol, and added to soups and main dishes.

The composition of tomato juice is truly impressive. It should be noted that in nature there are not so many vegetables that contain so many nutrients like tomatoes. Macro- and microelements, vitamins of all groups, various sugars, and organic acids important for health are just some of the ingredients of the drink. Juice includes vitamins A, C, E, K and B, as well as minerals Ca, Mg, Se, K, I, Fe, Cl, S, Cu, and Cd. These components have a healing effect on children and adults, in addition, significantly improve the condition of the skin and hair.

As in the vegetables themselves, the juice obtained from them is present in a significant concentration of lycopene. - This is one of the strongest antioxidants, which mobilizes all the internal reserves of the body and successfully fights dangerous free radicals. In addition, it has been proven that lycopene is considered a good prophylactic agent, which reduces the risk of developing many dangerous ailments, such as heart and vascular diseases, atherosclerosis, and even oncology.

Vitamins A and C, which are present in the juice, serve to prevent hemorrhage in the brain, while nicotinic acid significantly reduces the amount of cholesterol in human blood. Juice contains many different organic acids. It includes oxalic, citric and succinic acids, as well as malic and tartaric. Its structure includes such sugars as fructose and glucose, which compensate for the energy loss of a person. The concentration of pectin is quite high, due to which the work of the digestive tract is normalized and a feeling of fullness is formed.

At the same time calories in a drink from ripe tomatoes are few. In 100 grams of the product, this figure is only 18 kcal. At the same time, the content of BZHU is balanced, largely due to this, the juice is often recommended for people on a diet. The main ingredient in nutritional juice is tomatoes, which means that the drink includes all the beneficial elements that are present in the tomato.

The modern food market offers ready-made juices that are easy to buy in every store. However, juice prepared by itself will be much more effective, since the store versions use salt and sugar, in addition, preservatives that have an adverse effect on the general physical condition.

In the home-made juice, the actual benefits are much greater, and in terms of nutritional value, they are much better than the tomatoes themselves. By the way, in past centuries, tomato juice was very often prescribed by doctors as a therapeutic drug. And this is not surprising, given the list of its useful qualities.

The juice of ripe tomatoes has the following beneficial properties:

• normalizes metabolic processes in the human body;
• promotes complex cleansing - removes harmful slags, toxins and radionuclides;
• is a good prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• prevents problems with the work of the musculoskeletal system;
• has a proven antitumor effect - its lycopene is characterized by anti-cancer properties, so the use of tomatoes and juice from them serves as a good prevention of cancer;
• promotes the production of serotonin, known as the hormone of joy; thanks to this feature, a person can withstand long-term stressful situations, because serotonin fights depressive disorders and relieves nervous tension;

• has a powerful antimicrobial effect, therefore, it effectively protects the intestines from the adverse effects of pathogenic microflora and improves the gastrointestinal tract as a whole;
• recommended for use in chronic gastritis, diarrhea, mild gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers, as well as flatulence;
• It has a slight diuretic and weak choleretic effects;
• it can safely be used by people with diabetes mellitus, since it helps to reduce the overall level of blood sugar concentration and effectively strengthen the blood vessels;
• due to the presence of microelements responsible for the blood formation process, juice is included in the complex therapy regimen aimed at the treatment of certain blood diseases, such as reduced hemoglobin;
• contains antioxidants that are responsible for the prevention of the development of glaucoma in the body.

It should also be mentioned that juice from tomatoes can be drunk even for pregnant women and women breastfeeding, since 200–300 ml of this drink significantly increases lactation and have a positive effect on the recovery of the body of a young mother, depleted during a long pregnancy and childbirth.

Known effectiveness in problems with the skin and the condition of the head and hair, because it contains antioxidants suspend the aging process.

Daily wiping the face with frozen tomato juice tightens the pores and evens out the complexion. Rejuvenating masks from tomatoes very effectively eliminate excessive greasiness of the skin, acne and traces of fatigue.

Perhaps, most often tomato juice is consumed by those who want to lose weight. Juice is recommended to all who go on a diet, because its use contributes to a noticeable weight loss. Nutritionists have long noticed that this drink reduces the content of the hunger hormone, which, as a rule, in overweight people is greatly overestimated.

Such women and men, even having eaten tightly, do not feel satiated and try to eat at the first opportunity. A glass of tomato juice eliminates the need to eat for at least 5 hours, so for anyone losing weight, this juice should become an indispensable part of the daily diet.

There is an opinion that a mixture of tomato juice and vodka has a good tonic effect. Oddly enough, despite not at all the beneficial effects of vodka on the human body, such a cocktail is softer and more benign than, for example, a mixture of alcohol with lemonade or mineral water. This drink is called "Bloody Mary" and is prepared with the addition of a small amount of pepper and salt. It makes no sense to talk about its benefits, because under no circumstances can the body need alcohol even in combination with natural vegetables, but the juice definitely improves the taste characteristics of the cocktail and significantly slows down the absorption of alcohol into the blood, which will remove the stage of intoxication and allow will remove the hangover in the morning. In addition, tomatoes have the ability to effectively eliminate toxins and heavy metals from the body, which means that the products of the processing and decomposition of vodka will also be successfully released from the blood and kidneys, contributing to its early recovery.

Tomato juice can truly be called a pantry of vitamins, its benefits are obvious, but there is always a group of people who are prohibited from using this or that product. Tomato juice is no exception. Juice is contraindicated to use in the pathologies of the digestive system in the acute stage. You can not take juice in chronic pancreatitis, with such a diagnosis, only minimal doses are allowed after the heat treatment of the drink. The same applies to patients with cholecystitis and gout.No need to drink juice with food poisoning, especially if they are accompanied by vomiting. A nursing mother can enter the daily ration of a drink only from small volumes, after making sure that the infant has no allergy to tomatoes. Juice is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance.

In general, it should be noted that harm to juice is rather a relative concept., because the proper use of the drink can not cause harm. Juice should not be mixed with products that contain starch and proteins - such as bread, lean or fatty meat, sea or river fish, potatoes or cottage cheese - otherwise the risk of gallstones and urinary organs will increase. To get the maximum benefit, the product is better to use freshly squeezed.

The positive and negative effects of vegetable juice on the human body largely depend on the characteristics of its reception. Do not abuse the product and drink it with the above diseases.

In addition, there are such admission rules, the adherence to which allows to increase the benefits brought by the drink, such as

• you should not take tomato juice on an empty stomach or overnight - the organic acids contained in it will irritate the stomach mucous membranes and may cause the development of ulcers and gastritis;
• Contrary to current practice, juice cannot be combined with protein and carbohydrate foods - this leads to serious kidney problems;
• It is desirable to drink juice a few minutes before each meal, in which case it is much better absorbed and does not harm the digestive tract;
• the rate of use is 500 ml per day;
• juice should be drunk unsalted - only then it will give the body the maximum amount of nutrients;
• If you have any chronic diseases, you should consult with your doctor before taking juice.

It is extremely effective to use juice with parsley grass, dill and cilantro. Composing a cocktail of tomato, cabbage, radish, cucumber and sweet green pepper has a good effect. In addition, the drink is useful to combine with dishes from pumpkin, zucchini and eggplant. For dieters, it is preferable to add celery and apples pulp to the juice. In chronic gallstone disease outside the acute stage, juice is combined with cabbage pickle - this composition is recommended to drink 200 ml three times a day after meals.

Very useful drink with greens in the spring during the period of total vitamin deficiency. Nutritionists advise to drink it 2-4 times a day for 15-25 minutes before meals. Tomato juice is recommended for smokers, they are shown daily consumption of a drink in a glass 40–60 minutes after each meal, which allows you to significantly replenish the reserves of vitamin C, which are depleted during smoking.

An interesting fact: in ancient times, people believed that tomato juice is a drink of love, they claimed that it significantly increases libido, so it is recommended to use juice in the evening for those who have certain problems with sexual life.

We should also dwell on the features of the use of tomato juice by children. If the baby began to drink it in more than usual quantity, this may indicate a lack of vitamin C, which is responsible for the immunity of the child.Sometimes, an unexpected need to drink tomato juice and other vegetables can be a signal that the child has a fever - be sure to pay attention to this factor. If everything is in order and the use of tomato juice does not go beyond the limits of the norm, then, most likely, there is nothing to worry about. In general, for children under 1 year old, it is recommended to drink about 100 mg of drink per day, and its introduction should begin from 9 months by adding to soups and mashed potatoes. If a child is allergic, he should not be given tomato juice, because it contains histamine, which often causes behavioral problems in children, and also increases the symptoms and manifestations of hyperactivity.

Separately, it is worth mentioning tomato diets. Tomatoes are very often used to organize the so-called fasting days, while you can either arrange one day on tomato juice, or go through a real diet. A fasting day once a week on a juice from a tomato allows you to lose weight in the shortest possible time. Even a single procedure removes up to 1.5 kg of weight, and with systematic use, the volumes decrease more inconspicuously. Such effectiveness is due to the slight diuretic effects of the drink.

The essence of the unloading lies in the fact that during the day 2 liters of tomato juice is drunk in several receptions. It is advisable not to drink at a time more than a glass of drink. The entire daily rate should be divided into 7–9 receptions, and plain water should be consumed between them. There is a more gentle option for those who can not do without food - during the day, drink 5 glasses of juice and eat 3 slices of rye bread.

Tomatoes have a more effective slimming effect. They allow you to get rid of 4-5 kg ​​of excess weight, but at the same time the diet remains diverse and balanced. At the same time, boiled potatoes, curd cheese, boiled chicken, stewed beef, steamed fish and eggs are allowed. Be sure to eat whole grain bread, which can be replaced with loaves.

The following rules apply:

• at least 1.5 liters of bottled water should be drunk per day;
• the total daily weight of food consumed should be 1 kg, excluding tomato juice;
• fried, smoked and sweet is not allowed;
• seasonings and hot spices must be completely excluded;
• poultry and beef should be lean, without fat and skin;
• banned use of bananas, grapes and other sweet fruits;
• Alcohol intake is not recommended.

Restored juices are offered everywhere in stores, so many are wondering if they can bring any benefit to the body. Answering this question, it should be said that during the heat treatment of the juice and extraction of the concentrate a significant proportion of nutrients is lost, however, the finished drink cannot be called completely useless. It should be as carefully as possible to read the information on the package.

The production cycle of tomato juice production includes such basic steps as:

• rejection of raw materials;
• chopping fruit;
• heat treatment of tomato mass;
• machining in a centrifuge and mechanical chafing;
• packing and pasteurization.

In an industrial way, the juice is extracted from ripe tomatoes and subsequently canned with a slight addition of salt. The prepared fruits are crushed, the seeds are separated, which are then dried, using as a seed. The resulting mass is rubbed, remove the streaks and green parts of tomatoes.Then the ground substance goes through the heating stage, as a result of which pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed, and the activity of oxidative enzymes is also terminated. The temperature of heating, as a rule, reaches +80 degrees. If this process is slow, then the result is the complete destruction of pectin.

The beverage obtained from the fruit thus treated is characterized by a reduced viscosity and a tendency to delaminate. To give it a marketable appearance, the mass is diluted with concentrate. Typically, the store drink contains at least 40% of dry ingredients that are diluted to the consistency of a natural drink. The pros and cons of the store drink are largely related to its quality.

It is worth paying attention to other factors.

• Shelf life. As a rule, manufacturers indicate it in the range from 6 months to 3 years. It should be borne in mind that the fresh the juice, the better it is, so you should focus on the date of manufacture.
• Month of production. It is well known that in the summer and autumn juice is extracted from ordinary natural fruits, and in the winter-spring period the concentrates serve as the basis.
• Information about the manufacturer. The package must contain complete information about the manufacturer: name, address and contact numbers. If this data is not available, then most likely it is a fake, which hardly contains any nutrients.

The quality of the finished purchased juice can be checked at home. To do this, stir a spoon of soda in a glass of water and add juice there. If it does not change its color and remains as saturated and bright, it means that it contains a large number of dyes and pigments. In this case, it is rather difficult to call it natural.

The juice prepared by the hands will be much more useful for an organism, than shop. It can be made at home using a meat grinder, kitchen blender or electric juicer. The recipe is elementary: first, the vegetables are scalded with boiling water to easily get rid of the peel, then they are cut and placed in a juicer. If not, then the pieces should be whipped with a blender, then strain through a metal sieve.

Tomato juice with celery roots is extremely useful for health.

To make it you need the following ingredients:

• tomatoes - 3 kg;
• celery - 1 kg.

The first step is to thoroughly process the vegetables - remove thin peels from the tomatoes, and then peel and chop the celery into cubes. Then juice is extracted from tomatoes, poured into an enamel container, celery is poured there and brought to a boil over low heat and turned off. Allow to cool, then rub through a sieve and boil again.

Many housewives prefer to cook vegetable juice in reserve for the winter. Canning does not require large costs, money and effort. To do this, the vegetables are washed and cut into small pieces, and then passed through a blender or juicer. This forms the juice of a heterogeneous structure, the quality and volume of which largely depends on the types of tomatoes, the mass and the working capacity of the electrical assistant.

Usually, 2–3 kg of juice and a lot of cake can be obtained from 5 kg of ripe vegetables: seeds, peels and dense veins. It should not be thrown out, because the waste also contains juice, which can be isolated in a simple way - a lot of small amounts are passed through a sieve, while helping with a spatula or a tablespoon.

Prepared liquid must be poured into a saucepan, pour salt and sugar, and salt is desirable to take iodized. 3 liters of juice take 3 tbsp. l sugar and 1.5 liters of salt. The vessel is put on a slow fire and gradually boil with constant stirring. In the process of cooking, white foam appears in a fairly large volume - it does not need to be removed, since in principle, the foam is removed solely in order to then obtain a transparent mass. If you cook tomato juice with pulp, then there is no talk about any transparency.

After boiling the fire should be added a little and hold the pan on the fire for 5-7 minutes. During this time, the foam completely disappears, and the juice itself acquires a bright scarlet hue. At this stage, the first test should be carried out. If necessary, you can add salt or sugar. At this juice is ready - it should not be further boiled. The pot is removed from the heat and begin to deal with the banks.

The dishes can be sterilized in a microwave, oven or water bath. Hot drink is poured into the cleared dishes and rolled with metal or glass lids. After that, the banks are turned down the bottom and wrapped with a warm blanket, with additional heat treatment of the covers and the entire winter harvesting takes place. A day later, banks moved to the cellar for long-term storage. This is a classic version of the juice, although there are many interesting recipes that combine tomatoes with other seasonings and vegetables that set off the juice, give it a piquant taste and increase the degree of usefulness.

To prepare flavored savory juice, 4–5 kg of overripe tomatoes are taken, cut into 3–4 parts and passed through a juicer. After that, the juice is poured into a metal container and boiled for 20-25 minutes. After hot, the juice is poured into sterilized jars and added to each one or two sprigs of basil.

This is a very interesting recipe for juice, for the manufacture of which will require the following ingredients:

• red tomatoes - 10 kg;
• sugar - 500-700 g;
• salt, 150–170 g;
• essence or vinegar 9% - 250 g;
• garlic - a few cloves;
• carnation - 7–8 buds;
• cinnamon - 3-4 tsp;
• nutmeg - pinch.

Juice is obtained from tomatoes, then it is poured into the cooking vessel and brought to the beginning of the boil. After the bubbles appear, reduce the fire, add salt with sugar, boil for 7–10 minutes. Then enter the remaining ingredients. After that, let them boil for another 15–20 minutes and the juice is completely ready. The drink is poured into sterilized jars, rolled with glass or metal lids.

This is a very tasty drink, and quite simple to prepare. The peculiarity of this product is that it does not require boiling, but it will require sterilization. For a drink you need ripe tomatoes, which should be washed, scald with boiling water and remove the thin skin. Peeled vegetables should be kneaded with a wooden crust and passed through a colander or sieve, and then filtered through 3-4 layers of gauze. The juice is poured into pre-prepared jars, rolled up and sterilized in the already closed form.

To make such a drink, you need to take the following ingredients:

• tomatoes - 10 kg;
• sweet pepper - 3-4 pieces;
• garlic - 3-4 slices;
• bow - 1 head.

Tomatoes are prepared in the standard way - washed and cleaned from the skins. In parallel, you should rid the pepper from the seeds, chop the onion and squeeze the garlic. All vegetables together pass through a meat grinder or blender, and then rub through a large sieve. The resulting liquid must be placed on a slow fire and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil.Then you need to boil for 15 minutes and screw on sterilized jars.

For lovers of "sharper" fit a recipe for a drink with vinegar. For its preparation will require 1 kg of overripe tomatoes and half a glass of 8% vinegar, as well as sugar and salt. The recipe for obtaining Saka does not differ from that used in other cases - tomatoes are peeled and passed through a juicer, then all the other ingredients are added to the resulting drink and boiled.

Vegetable cocktail from beet, apple and tomato juice is not only nutritious, but also very tasty. Both adults and kids love him. To prepare, stock up with 2 kg of red tomatoes, 1 liter of apple juice and 300 grams of beets. Juices are squeezed and mixed with each other and placed on the fire, where they are brought to the boiling stage, then kept on slow fire for about 5 minutes and packed in cans.

The small fruits of tomatoes are very often used as raw materials for the production of tomato paste. In winter, it is easy and simple to make a delicious, nutritious and cost-effective juice. From a liter can of pasta you can make up to 9 liters of drink. According to the classic recipe, 3 tablespoons of tomato is diluted in one glass of water and salted. However, if you want to get a less concentrated product, then you can limit yourself to 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.

It is well known that everyone has their own taste preferences, so if you want, you can dilute the juice of the paste using seasonings. Especially well shade the taste of tomatoes spices such as rosemary and, of course, marjoram. If desired, you can mix the juice with the husks of any other vegetables.

Tomato juice is a delicious and nutritious drink that is quite simple to prepare and pleasant to drink. It quenches strong thirst, dulls hunger and nourishes the body with the most useful substances. At the same time, like any other product with a high concentration of trace elements, in significant dosages it can cause harm to the body. Before use, you should consult with your doctor.

Video recipe of tomato juice do it yourself - in the next video.