How to live longer – the number of tomatoes you should be eating every week

Eating a healthy, balanced diet – including at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day – could lower your risk of an early death, according to the NHS. One of the easiest ways to boost your life expectancy is to eat more tomatoes, it’s been claimed.

You could also boost your lifespan by doing regular exercise. It’s the “miracle cure” we’ve all been waiting for, it said.

Making some small diet or lifestyle changes could help to increase your life expectancy and avoid an early death.

You could lower your chances of an early death by regularly eating tomatoes, it’s been claimed.

Everyone should be aiming to eat around seven portions of tomatoes every week.

Tomatoes are one of the most crucial fruits you should be including in your diet.

They make up a large portion of the Mediterranean diet, and are particularly beneficial for the heart.

Tomatoes could lower your cholesterol, and subsequently protect against heart disease, according to dietitian Juliette Kellow and nutritionist Dr Sarah Brewer.

“An integral part of the Mediterranean diet, tomatoes are a great source of health-promoting vitamins A and C,” they said in their book ‘Eat Better Live Longer – Understand What Your Body Needs To Stay Healthy’.

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“They also contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene, which may improve heart health and protect against a number of cancers.

“Better still, looking seems to boost the lycopene-related benefits of tomatoes, as does serving them with a little fat, for example, olive oil.

“A daily serving of tomatoes or tomato products is ideal. However, consuming tomatoes only a few times a week still offers many health benefits.

“When buying fresh, choose ripe, dark red tomatoes, as they contain the most lycopene.”

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A single serving of tomato includes one whole, regular-sized tomato, six cherry tomatoes, 200g of chopped tomatoes, or one small glass of tomato juice.

But, sun-dried tomatoes have the highest proportion of lycopene, they added.

Lycopene lowers your chances of heart attacks, and even some cancers, they said.

But, the best way to make sure you lead a long and healthy life is to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

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Regular exercise is a crucial aspect to improving overall health, and helping you to live longer.

People that do regular exercise are up to 50 per cent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes and some cancers, said the NHS.

It may even slash the chances of coronary heart disease and stroke by up to 35 per cent.

All UK adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week.

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