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Tomato Paste Boosts Brainpower Daily
26 Sep
Summary
- Daily tomato paste intake improved attention and processing speed.
- Participants showed better memory recall for faces and names.
- Study suggests lycopene-rich foods support brain function.
New research indicates that a small, daily serving of tomato paste may lead to notable improvements in cognitive abilities. Participants who consumed approximately 35 grams of tomato paste daily for three months demonstrated enhanced concentration, faster processing speeds, and improved associative memory compared to when they followed a diet low in lycopene.
The study, involving 42 adults aged 40-55, utilized a randomized crossover design. Beyond cognitive tests, blood analyses showed a potential increase in BDNF, a protein linked to brain cell growth. Brain scans in a subset of participants also suggested more efficient communication between brain regions when at rest.
While researchers emphasize that these findings are preliminary and larger studies are needed, they offer an early look at how lycopene-rich foods might benefit the brain. Experts note that restricting lycopene sources may negatively impact cognitive function, underscoring the importance of including such foods in one's diet.
