A glass of tomato juice a day could help ease menopausal symptoms, according to researchers from Tokyo Medical University.

They found that drinking 200ml of the juice twice a day for eight weeks had a significant effect on overall symptoms, as well as cholesterol and anxiety. In the study, 93 women were given tomato juice and had their heart rate and other markers checked.

Results in the Nutrition Journal show that at the end of the study, menopausal symptoms - including anxiety, hot flushes and irritability - had almost halved.

Furthermore, the women burned off more calories while at rest, and their blood fat levels went down. 

Previous research suggests chemicals in tomato juice, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid, act in a similar way to the hormone oestrogen.