Tomatoes are ‘nutrilicious.’ The latest research is indicating that tomatoes are a valuable food source with a wide range of health benefits, from antioxidant protection to potential support for heart, gut, and liver health. New studies are suggesting that lycopene supports healthy liver functioning and may even help prevent weight gain.
Lycopene is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory compound that is naturally produced by plants. It is also available as a dietary supplement. However supplements are not evaluated for safety or effectiveness by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the potential health impacts of lycopene supplements are not well established. They are not recommended.
Studies in animals have shown that incorporating tomatoes into the diet may help reduce the prevalence of liver cancer. It is theorized that compounds naturally produced by tomatoes are responsible for these effects. After a meal, many of the chemical compounds found in tomatoes travel to the liver where they are metabolized. Some compounds remain for some time. Others are quickly removed from the body.
Researchers conducted a series of experiments in which they fed zebrafish a normal or high-fat diet along with various combinations of tomato extract, estrogen supplements and lycopene supplements. They found that fish consuming a high-fat diet supplemented with a tomato extract were more effectively protected from weight gain than fish on a high-fat diet supplemented with dietary estrogen.
“This study is unique because we are assessing interactions between tomatoes, estrogens and obesity prevention mechanisms,” said the study’s first author Samantha St. Clair, who is an assistant professor of biology at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. “Since tomatoes are a rich source of the antioxidant lycopene, we are assessing whether the obesity protection in tomato-supplemented fish stems in part from reduced inflammation in the liver.”
The fish that were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with both estrogen and lycopene had lower blood sugar levels compared with fish consuming a normal diet. This finding suggests that lycopene consumption improves the breakdown of fat in the liver. The researchers found that the benefits of tomato consumption occurred quickly, showing a significant difference in metabolism after just one week. “We are really excited about this one week time point. If a relatively short-term intervention tweaks metabolism to protect against weight gain, this implies that folks would be able to make some small adjustments to their daily diet and see benefits in a few weeks’ time,” said St. Clair.
The team is conducting further analyses to track changes in gene expression involved in inflammation, fat processing, and estrogen metabolism at different time points and with different types of supplements. Tomatoes originated from the Andes where they grow wild in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador. As early as 700 AD, the Incas and Aztecs were the first to cultivate tomatoes.
Tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable. They contain fiber, vitamin C, potassium, folate and more. The bright red color comes from lycopene and beta-carotene contributes to an orange-like glow. Tomatoes are very easily added to the diet. They are used for the sauce on spaghetti, salsa on chips, ketchup on french fries.
One medium-sized raw tomato contains approximately 23 calories, 1 gram of protein, 5 grams of carbohydrates and 17 grams of vitamin C. Dieticians caution that the nutritional values may vary greatly in eating tomatoes raw, juiced, in a sauce or other forms.
Studies suggest that high blood levels of lycopene can help reduce heart disease risk and improve blood cholesterol levels. Tomatoes consistently are linked to improved heart health due to their high lycopene content. Some studies showed that high blood levels of lycopene reduced heart disease risk by a significant percentage.
Further, new studies are suggesting that tomatoes may have a role in supporting gut health. Research indicated that tomatoes may play a role in gut health by increasing the number and diversity of beneficial microorganisms in the gut. This was particularly notable in studies where piglets consuming tomato powder showed measurable improvements in their gut microbiome.
Some studies indicated that higher lycopene intake, rather than just tomato consumption, was associated with modest protective effects against certain cancers. It is theorized that lycopene encourages cancer cell death and reduces the blood concentration of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which plays a role in breast cancer development. Some studies have suggested that lycopene may reduce the risk of prostate cancer or slow its progression. However, other studies did not support that.
Tomatoes are also associated with improved vision and skin health. One study found that adults who ate 40 grams of tomato paste with olive oil daily for 10 weeks had 40% fewer sunburns. Researchers proposed that the ultraviolet (UV) protection comes from the lycopene in tomatoes.
There is debate whether cooked tomatoes pack more of a nutritional punch. Cooking can reduce the vitamin C and flavonoids, but cooking tomatoes boosts the levels of lycopene availability. When tomatoes are cooked, the heat breaks down thick cell walls and makes the lycopene more accessible to the body. You can increase the amount of lycopene your body absorbs by adding a little olive oil.
Chilled Gazpacho Soup
Gazpacho originated in the southern regions of the Iberia Peninsula and spread into other regions. Gazpacho is widely eaten in Spain and Portugal, particularly in summer, since it is refreshing and cool. Most gazpacho includes stale bread, tomato, cucumbers, onions, bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, wine vinegar, water and salt. Some recipes include cumin and/or pimentón (smoked sweet paprika)
John Schieszer is an award-winning national journalist and radio and podcast broadcaster of The Medical Minute. He can be reached at medicalminutes@gmail.com
