Consuming approximately two tablespoons of a common pantry staple, frequently used to enrich pasta sauces, was associated with improved attention and processing speed, according to findings from a new, small-scale study. Researchers in Spain discovered that participants who ate roughly 35 grams of tomato paste daily for three months demonstrated slightly higher scores on tests measuring concentration, processing speed, and associative memory compared to when they followed a diet low in lycopene.
Lycopene is a red antioxidant pigment naturally present in tomatoes and various other fruits. The study involved 42 healthy adults, aged between 40 and 55, who completed the trial. Each participant followed both dietary phases for three months, separated by a one-month washout period.
During the low-lycopene diet phase, participants maintained their usual eating habits while consciously avoiding foods such as tomatoes. In contrast, during the tomato paste phase, they consumed 0.5 grams of tomato paste per kilogram of body weight each day, averaging around 35 grams daily. Following this period, participants recorded an average increase of 7.2 points in concentration scores, 8.3 points in processing speed, and 0.8 points on a test designed to match faces with names.
The trial utilized a randomized crossover design, meaning each participant served as their own control, providing a baseline comparison before and after the tomato paste intervention. Blood tests conducted during the study also indicated a borderline increase in Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a protein recognized for its involvement in brain-cell growth and adaptability.
Additionally, brain scans performed on a small subset of participants revealed changes in resting connectivity—the way different brain regions interact when an individual is not engaged in a specific task. While researchers suggested this pattern might imply more efficient brain communication, they cautioned that the limited sample size prevents drawing definitive conclusions about a significant brain benefit.
Preliminary Insights and Future Research Needs
The study, published earlier this year in the journal Antioxidants, did not establish that tomato paste can prevent cognitive decline or specific brain diseases. However, the researchers emphasized that the findings offer an initial glimpse into how lycopene-rich tomato products might influence brain function. They characterized these results as preliminary and stressed the necessity for larger-scale studies to further explore and confirm these observations.
Expert Perspective on Lycopene's Role
Dr. John Showalter, an internal medicine physician based in Pennsylvania and chief operating officer of Linus Health, commented on the study. He noted that despite its small size, the trial's findings align with a broader body of research underscoring the importance of naturally red foods in a healthy diet.
