UK scientists found in a study that taking a tomato pill daily could help in prevention of heart disease.
A company called CamNutra has developed a pill which is called “tomato pill”. National Institute of Health Research and the British Heart Foundation collaborated in a study funded by Wellcome Trust. This study was undertaken independently of the company which has come up with the tomato pill.
The study involved 36 participants who had heart disease. They were provided a daily tablet which was either a placebo or the tomato pill. To ensure a fair trial, participants or researchers did not know which was which, until the study ended after two months.
After measuring the forearm blood flow (a test that helps predict future cardiovascular risk) of the different participants, the patients who took the tomato pill showed improved forearm blood flow. The placebo pill did not display any such results.
Even though this clinical trial showed positive results towards the tomato pill, experts say that more studies are required to establish the effect of the tomato pill.
Tomato pill contains lycopene, which is a natural antioxidant that renders tomato its specific orange-red color. Experts have suspected for quite some time that lycopene could be used in prevention of many illness which include cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
Also, there is evidence supporting that a Mediterranean diet which is rich in tomatoes, fish, and olive oil is one of the healthiest diet in the world that promotes good health. However, it is not yet established clearly if tomatoes can solely be used in prevention of heart disease.