Tomato seeds are the healthy alternative to aspirin
Tuesday December 22 2009
Tomato seeds have been identified as a key component to a long life and healthy alternative to aspirin.
The natural gel found in tomato seeds can help maintain a healthy blood circulation by preventing blood from clotting, according to clinical trials.
The gel, which is colourless and tasteless, can then be added to foods without changing their characteristics.
Discovered by a British scientists, it has been patented as Fruitflow.
It is already being used in one fruit juice product and is now expected to be added to other foods.
EU health officials have accepted that the ingredient does improve blood flow and have approved the use of such claims on packaging.
Aspirin strongly blocks one set of signals that causes this to happen. Fruitflow more gently damps down three others, enough to reduce the risk of clotting.
Currently, millions of older people take small doses of aspirin daily to improve blood flow. However, this can have unwelcome side effects such as bleeding in the stomach and the creation of ulcers.
Professor Asim Dutta-Roy at the Rowett Institute in Aberdeen, who made the discovery whilst investigating the benefits of a Mediterranean diet, said that Fruitflow was a good natural alternative to aspirin.
He said: “To date, no side effects have been demonstrated during the development of Fruitflow.”
Research shows that a smoother blood flow can be seen within three hours of taking Fruitflow and the results can last up to 18 hours, making it ideal for daily consumption.
It is currently added to Sirco, a range of 100pc pure fruit juices available from Waitrose and some health food shops.
- Urmee Khan
© Telegraph.co.uk
