Scientists found that a tomato-soy juice rich in plant-derived compounds altered inflammation-related signals in healthy adults with obesity.
A new study found that drinking tomato-soy juice rich in health-promoting plant compounds reduced levels of inflammatory proteins in healthy adults with obesity after four weeks.
The results suggest the beverage could serve as a functional food that helps reduce chronic inflammation, a key factor in many long-term diseases.
The juice was formulated with high concentrations of lycopene and soy isoflavones, plant compounds that previous research has linked to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Compared with a control tomato juice that did not contain these compounds, the tomato-soy juice significantly lowered blood levels of three markers associated with systemic inflammation.
“The idea is, can we use food-based interventions to modulate inflammation?” said lead author Jessica Cooperstone, associate professor of horticulture and crop science at The Ohio State University. “And can we test this in a rigorous way so that we can really see this is affecting inflammation, versus just saying something is anti-inflammatory?”
Tomato-Soy Juice Lowers Inflammation Markers
Building on these findings and related research, Cooperstone and her colleagues have secured funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for a pilot clinical trial examining whether the same tomato-soy juice can reduce inflammation in people with pancreatitis.
The findings were published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
Lycopene is the carotenoid responsible for the red color of tomatoes and certain other fruits and vegetables. Soy isoflavones are flavonoids that can mimic some actions of the hormone estrogen. Both belong to a group of plant compounds known as phytochemicals.
