A tomato-soy juice enriched with plant compounds linked to health benefits significantly reduced markers of inflammation in healthy adults with obesity after four weeks of daily consumption, according to a new study. Researchers say the findings suggest the beverage could serve as a functional food capable of helping control chronic inflammation, a condition associated with obesity and many long-term diseases. The study focused on the effects of lycopene, a carotenoid found in tomatoes, and soy isoflavones, naturally occurring compounds believed to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
The research team compared the specialised tomato-soy juice with a control tomato juice that lacked high levels of lycopene and soy isoflavones. Participants consumed two 6-ounce cans of juice daily for four weeks, followed by a washout period before switching to the control beverage for another four weeks. Blood samples collected before and after each intervention period showed that only the tomato-soy juice significantly lowered levels of three pro-inflammatory cytokines: Interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-12p70 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Researchers also observed a downward trend in tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), although the decrease was not statistically significant.
Lead author Jessica Cooperstone, associate professor of horticulture and crop science at The Ohio State University, said the study was designed to test whether food-based interventions can directly influence inflammation rigorously. Rather than relying on general assumptions about anti-inflammatory foods, the researchers aimed to measure clear biological effects in people. The findings have encouraged the team to continue investigating the therapeutic potential of the juice in clinical settings.
Lycopene gives tomatoes and other vegetables their red colouring, while soy isoflavones belong to a class of flavonoids that can mimic some actions of the hormone estrogen. Both compounds are phytochemicals that support plant health and have previously been linked to disease prevention. Earlier studies associated diets rich in tomato products or soy with a lower risk of prostate cancer, leading Ohio State researchers to develop the tomato-soy juice using tomatoes specially bred to contain high concentrations of lycopene and enriched with soy isoflavone extract. Additional research later connected the beverage to lower prostate-specific antigen levels in some men with prostate cancer.
Researchers also analysed participants’ urine samples to examine changes in metabolites, the molecular byproducts produced when the body breaks down nutrients and generates energy. The analysis revealed that both the tomato-soy juice and the control tomato juice produced some similar metabolic changes, suggesting tomatoes alone may contribute to certain biological effects. However, shifts linked specifically to soy isoflavones were more pronounced in the tomato-soy group, providing further evidence that the combination beverage was influencing human metabolism and inflammatory pathways.
Building on these findings, the research team has received funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to conduct a pilot clinical trial investigating whether the same tomato-soy juice can reduce inflammation in patients with pancreatitis. Previous animal studies conducted by the group suggested the beverage may lessen both inflammation and the severity of chronic pancreatitis. Because treatment for pancreatitis is largely focused on managing pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, researchers hope this dietary intervention could eventually improve quality of life for patients by targeting inflammation directly. The study was recently published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
More information: Maria Sholola et al, Tomato-Soy Juice Reduces Inflammation and Modulates the Urinary Metabolome in Adults With Obesity, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.70420
Journal information: Molecular Nutrition & Food Research Provided by Ohio State University
