Researchers at the Italian National Institute of Gastroenterology have discovered that daily tomato consumption can significantly decrease liver fat in patients with fatty liver disease . The six-week trial involved 79 participants and demonstrated that dietary changes alone could improve liver health without requiring overall weight loss.
The 35-point drop in Cap scores
In a randomiized controlled trial, the Italian National Institute of Gastroenterology divided 79 patients with fatty liver disease into two distinct groups.. One group consumed 200 grams of raw tomatoes and 50 grams of tomato sauce every day for six weeks, while the control group avoided tomatoes entirely. To measure the results, researchers used a FibroScan device to determine the controlled attenuation parameter , or Cap score, where higher numbers indicate a higher concentration of liver fat .
According to findings published in the journal Nutrients, the group eating tomatoes saw their liver fat scores plummet by 35 points. In contrast, the group that avoided tomatoes saw a smaller reduction of 18 points. As the report says, the slight improvement in the control group was likely due to the "healthy participant effect," where individuals improve their general lifestyle simply by being part of a medical study.
How lycopene and beta-carotene target liver fat
The most striking aspect of the Italian National Institute of Gastroenterology study is that the reduction in liver fat occurred independently of weight loss. The researchers found no meaningful changes in BMI, waist circumference, total body fat, or visceral fat among the tomato-consuming group. This suggests that the improvement was not a byproduct of a caloric deficit, but a direct biochemical reaction within the liver.
The research team believes that specific compounds found in tomatoes, namely lycopene and beta-carotene, are the primary drivers of this effect. These antioxidants may alter the liver's metabolic processes by limiting the uptake of new fats, reducing the production of new fat,and actively encouraging the liver to burn existing fat stores.
The 11 per cent lower cancer risk and 17-year US data
This specific trial fits into a much larger body of evidence regarding the longevity benefits of tomato consumption. A 2021 study that tracked more than 100,000 adults in the United States over an average of 17 years found that moderate tomato intake was linked to lower overall mortality and a decrease in cardiovascular deaths.
Further supporting this trend, a 2025 analysis of 119 different studies indicated that higher tomato consumption is associated with an 11 per cent lower risk of cancer mortality. Some of this research specifically highlights a protective effect against prostate cancer, suggesting that the nutrients in tomatoes provide systemic benefits far beyond the liver.
The limitations of a 79-person sample size
Despite the promising results, the study's scale leaves several questions unanswered. Because the trial only included 79 people over a short six-week window, it is unclear if these liver fat reductions are sustainable over several years or if the body develops a tolerance to the effects of lycopene over time.
Additionally, the source does not specify whether the results would differ based on the variety of tomato used or if processed tomato products—beyond the 50 grams of sauce used in the study—would yield the same benefits. Whether this dietary intervention can replace pharmaceutical treatments for advanced cirrhosis or liver cancer remains an unverified claim that requires larger, long-term clinical trials.
ENV-308 and the shift toward muscle-preserving weight loss
While the tomato study focuses on non-weight-loss interventions, the broader medical field is also exploring new ways to treat obesity without the side effects of current drugs. the report mentions a new drug called ENV-308, which is designed to mimic Lac-Phe, a substance that increases in the body after intense exercise.
Unlike GLP-1 weight-loss medications, which are often criticized for causing significant muscle loss alongside fat reduction, ENV-308 aims to preserve metabolic health and muscle mass. This represents a growing trend in medicine to move away from simple weight reduction and toward the preservation of lean tissue and organ-specific health .
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