Drinking tomato juice makes the cholesterol and fat levels in your blood healthier.
See the scientific wording
Consumption of tomato juice improves blood lipoprotein concentrations in humans.
There's disagreement
Mixed evidenceThe 3 studies we reviewed point in different directions — there's no clear consensus.
What the research says
3 studies reviewedSupporting (2)
Randomized Controlled TrialHuman
The study gave people tomato juice and saw big drops in their cholesterol, but the drops were so huge (like 40-48% in just 9 days) that they probably aren't real, so we can't be sure tomato juice actually helps.
Cohort StudyHuman2019
Drinking unsalted tomato juice helped lower bad cholesterol in people with high cholesterol, making their blood lipids healthier.
Contradicting (1)
Cohort StudyHuman
The study gave people tomato juice for two weeks and found that their cholesterol didn't go down in a meaningful way – the small drop could have just been by chance.
Quality-weighted scoring: we follow the GRADE framework — each study is rated High, Moderate, Low, or Very Low based on study design, methodology rigor, and risk of bias. A single high-quality RCT can outweigh several weaker observational studies.
Scores reflect study quality, not just count.
Tomato juice contains compounds called lycopene and flavonoids. These compounds are absorbed into the blood and travel to cells in fat and liver tissue. They stop a key alarm system inside these cells (NF-κB and ERK pathways) from turning on. When this alarm system is off, cells produce fewer inflammatory signals (cytokines). Less inflammation in the body helps the liver produce a healthier balance of LDL and HDL cholesterol, improving blood lipoprotein levels.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 2 supporting, 1 contradicting studies
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Drinking tomato juice makes the cholesterol and fat levels in your blood healthier.
Mechanism
4 studiesTomato juice has compounds that tell fat and liver cells to stop making inflammation signals. Less inflammation helps the liver produce healthier cholesterol levels. This explains how tomato juice might improve blood cholesterol, but the studies did not directly check cholesterol, so we need more proof.
Tomato juice contains compounds called lycopene and flavonoids. These compounds are absorbed into the blood and travel to cells in fat and liver tissue. They stop a key alarm system inside these cells (NF-κB and ERK pathways) from turning on. When this alarm system is off, cells produce fewer inflammatory signals (cytokines). Less inflammation in the body helps the liver produce a healthier balance of LDL and HDL cholesterol, improving blood lipoprotein levels.
Lycopene and flavonoids from tomato juice are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream and distributed systemically.
Lycopene and flavonoids inhibit the phosphorylation of IκB and activation of ERK in adipose and liver cells, thereby blocking the NF-κB and ERK signaling pathways.
Inhibition of NF-κB and ERK reduces the transcription and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-5, IL-12p70, GM-CSF, and TNF-α.
Reduced systemic inflammation improves hepatic lipid metabolism, including decreased VLDL secretion and increased LDL receptor expression, leading to a favorable blood lipoprotein profile.
Evidence from Studies
Last searched 2mo ago
Supporting (2)
Community contributions welcome
The study gave people tomato juice and saw big drops in their cholesterol, but the drops were so huge (like 40-48% in just 9 days) that they probably aren't real, so we can't be sure tomato juice actually helps.
Drinking unsalted tomato juice helped lower bad cholesterol in people with high cholesterol, making their blood lipids healthier.
Contradicting (1)
Community contributions welcome
The study gave people tomato juice for two weeks and found that their cholesterol didn't go down in a meaningful way – the small drop could have just been by chance.
Score Breakdown
No multi-axis breakdown available yet. The overall Pro / Against score above is the best signal.
- No clinical evidence is available; the score reflects mechanistic plausibility only.
What Would Prove This
Per GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this claim, ordered from strongest to weakest.
Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials on Tomato Juice and Blood Lipids
Systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled RCTs examining tomato juice (any dose, duration) vs. control on blood lipoprotein outcomes (LDL, HDL, triglycerides) in healthy adults.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Tomato Juice vs Placebo on Lipoprotein Profile in Adults
Double-blind, parallel-group RCT: 200 adults with dyslipidemia randomized to 500 mL tomato juice daily vs. placebo drink for 12 weeks; primary outcomes: LDL, HDL, total cholesterol, triglycerides.
Prospective Cohort Study of Tomato Juice Consumption and Lipoprotein Changes Over 5 Years
Prospective cohort of 5000 adults without cardiovascular disease, assessing tomato juice intake via food frequency questionnaires annually, with blood lipid measurements every 2 years for 5 years.
Cross-Sectional Study of Tomato Juice Intake and Blood Lipoprotein Levels in a General Population
Survey of 1000 adults from the general population, measuring tomato juice intake (via questionnaire) and fasting blood lipoprotein levels; adjusted for age, sex, BMI, and other dietary factors.
In Vitro Study of Tomato Juice Components on Lipoprotein Metabolism in HepG2 Cells
Treat human hepatoma HepG2 cells with varying concentrations of tomato juice extract; measure LDL receptor expression, HMG-CoA reductase activity, and apolipoprotein secretion over 48 hours.