Tomaten goed tegen hart- en
vaatziektes*
Uit een Japanse studie blijkt dat in tomaten ook een stof zit die dyslipidemie kan aanpakken. Dyslipidemie is een verzamelnaam voor uiteenlopende stoornissen in de vetstofwisseling. In het bloed zien we dit terug als verhoogde waarden van
totaal-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceriden en een verlaagd HDL-cholesterol. Hierdoor neemt aderverkalking toe. De meest voorkomende oorzaken van dyslipidemie zijn
overgewicht, diabetes, erfelijke aanleg, overmatig alcoholgebruik, schildklierafwijking en gebruik van bepaalde medicijnen. Tomaten blijken al veel gezonde bioactieve stoffen te bevatten. Uit deze studie blijkt er ook nog een goed vetzuur te zitten te weten oxo-octadecadienoic zuur, die dyslipidemie zou kunnen bestrijden.
Tomatoes Found to Contain Nutrient Which Prevents Vascular Diseases
They are the most widely produced fruit in the world and now scientists in Japan have discovered that tomatoes contain a nutrient which could tackle the onset of vascular diseases. The research, published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, reveals that an extracted compound, 9-oxo-octadecadienoic, has anti-dyslipidemic affects.
The team led by Dr Teruo Kawada, from Kyoto University and supported by the Research and Development Program for New Bio-industry Initiatives, Japan, focused their research on extracts which tackle dyslipidemia, a condition which is caused by an abnormal amount of lipids, such as cholesterol or fat, in the blood stream.
"Dyslipidemia itself usually causes no symptoms," said Kawada, "however; it can lead to symptomatic vascular diseases, such as arteriosclerosis and cirrhosis. In order to prevent these diseases it is important to prevent an increased build up of lipids."
Tomatoes are already known to contain many compounds beneficial to health. In this study the team analyzed 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid, to test its potential anti-dyslipidemia properties.
The compound was found to enhance fatty acid oxidation and contributed to the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism. These findings suggest that 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid has anti-dyslipidemia affects and can therefore help prevent vascular diseases.
"Finding a compound which helps the prevention of obesity-related chronic diseases in foodstuffs is a great advantage to tackling these diseases," concluded Kawada. "It means that the tomato allows people to easily manage the onset of dyslipidemia through their daily
diet." (Januari 2011)
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