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Scientists Had People Eat Tomato Paste For 3 Months. Their Brain Scans Looked Different.
Currently.com • • health
Key Points:
- A randomized clinical trial in Spain found that consuming 35 grams of tomato paste daily for three months improved selective attention and associative memory in healthy middle-aged adults, supported by brain scan evidence of altered brain connectivity.
- The study linked increased lycopene levels, a potent antioxidant in tomatoes, with changes in functional brain networks and a borderline rise in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), suggesting potential neural efficiency and adaptability benefits.
- Although the trial was unblinded and involved a small sample size for brain imaging, the findings align with previous research indicating that bioactive compounds in tomatoes may support cognitive function.
- Researchers caution that larger, longer-term studies are needed to confirm whether these neural changes are sustained and translate into meaningful clinical outcomes.
- Cooking tomatoes may enhance lycopene availability, making tomato paste a convenient and potent source of antioxidants that could contribute to brain health.
