Tomatoes may contribute to gut health, study finds

Research conducted at Ohio State University in the United States suggests that consuming tomatoes may be an alternative to achieve a healthier gut microbiome.

Tomatoes are one of the most versatile fruits and are widely consumed around the world. It is rich in lycopene, a wonderful antioxidant, and has many health benefits.

With this in mind, the scientists decided to conduct a test to confirm whether a diet that included continued consumption of tomatoes would somehow interfere with the gut microbiome of pigs.

The study, published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum, reports positive results of short-term intervention in animals fed the addition of lyophilized tomato powder.

In total, 20 recently weaned pigs were used and were divided into two groups.

The control group was fed only a basic diet adjusted to contain the same amount of nutrients as the diet of the second group.

The diet of the experimental group was carried out with the same basic ration but with the addition of tomato powder.

By analyzing the organisms found in the animals’ feces, the researchers tracked the diet-promoted changes.

After 14 days on the special diet, the animals that consumed the tomato diet had a more favorable gut bacteria strain, indicative of a healthier microbiome.

There was no difference in weight between the groups, and pigs fed only the standard diet showed no significant changes in gut bacterial strains.

Researchers do not yet know exactly how tomatoes contribute to the positive change in the gut microbiome.

But with the positive result, they hope to soon be able to run tests on humans and better understand the benefits that tomato consumption can have on gut health.