Tomato and tomato products are known as potential factors to decrease oxidative stress
biomarkers. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effects of consumption of two
tomato sauces with different concentrations of lycopene on oxidative stress markers.
Thirty healthy subjects (Men/women: 9/21; Aged 39 ± 6 years old; BMI: 24.5 ± 3.3 kg/m2
)
were recruited to participate in a double-blind crossover study. Participants had to consume
160 g/day of tomato sauce, while maintaining their usual dietary and physical activity
habits.
The regular consumption of the high-lycopene tomato sauce induced a significant reduction
in the oxidized-LDL cholesterol levels (9.27 ± 16.8%; p < 0.05). Moreover, total plasma
antioxidant capacity tended to increase with the high-lycopene tomato sauce, while it
decreased slightly with commercial tomato sauce consumption (2.69 ± 13.4 vs 0.05 ± 0.4;
p = 0.058). Lipid, glucose profile and C-reactive protein concentrations were stable during
both intervention periods, as well as anthropometric and body composition variables.
Thus, the daily consumption of 160 g of a high-lycopene tomato sauce improved oxidizedLDL
cholesterol levels, evidencing the putative role of lycopene in combination with other
bioactive compounds in the prevention of oxidative stress related diseases.