Many health recommendations involve major lifestyle changes, so research into the potential benefits of familiar everyday foods can quickly attract attention.
A randomized trial published in the scientific journal Nutrients has examined whether tomatoes could influence liver fat in people with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, known as MASLD. The six-week study involved 79 adults, reports Medical News Today.
A difference emerged
Researchers compared a tomato-free diet with daily consumption of 200 grams of raw tomatoes and 50 grams of tomato sauce. Participants were otherwise asked to maintain their usual lifestyles.
Liver fat decreased in both groups, but the reduction was greater among those who consumed tomatoes every day.
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However, researchers did not observe significant differences between the groups in several other measures, including BMI, liver enzymes, blood lipids and liver stiffness. The findings therefore do not show that tomatoes can treat MASLD.
Important limitations
The relatively small number of participants and short duration of the trial limit the conclusions that can be drawn. People with a BMI above 30 were excluded, while most participants were men.
Researchers also did not measure blood levels of compounds such as lycopene and carotenoids. Because participants consumed both raw tomatoes and tomato sauce, the study cannot determine whether one particular component was responsible for the observed difference.
More research needed
The researchers describe the trial as exploratory, meaning the results need to be confirmed through larger and longer studies involving a broader range of people.
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Tomatoes can be part of a varied diet, but the current evidence does not support viewing them as a treatment for fatty liver disease. Instead, the findings provide researchers with another potential dietary factor to investigate.
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This article is made and published by Mie Hermansen, who may have used AI in the preparation.