Tomato-Soy Drink Shows Anti-Inflammatory Benefits in Adults with Obesity: Study

A simple juice made from tomatoes and soybeans may help calm one of the body's most dangerous hidden threats: chronic inflammation.

Researchers from The Ohio State University have found that a tomato-soy juice rich in lycopene and soy isoflavones significantly reduced key markers of inflammation in adults with obesity after just four weeks of daily consumption. The findings, published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, suggest that certain foods may do more than provide nutrition—they could actively help regulate inflammation linked to chronic diseases.

The study involved 12 healthy adults with obesity who drank two six-ounce cans of the specially formulated tomato-soy juice every day for four weeks. After a washout period, participants consumed a control tomato juice that contained much lower levels of lycopene and no added soy isoflavones.

The results were striking. Only the tomato-soy juice led to significant reductions in three inflammatory proteins—Interleukin-5, Interleukin-12p70, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Researchers also observed a downward trend in tumor necrosis factor-alpha, another major inflammation marker, though the reduction was not statistically significant.

Lycopene, the antioxidant pigment that gives tomatoes their red color, and soy isoflavones, plant compounds that mimic some effects of estrogen, have long been studied for their potential health benefits. Previous research has linked diets rich in tomatoes and soy to lower risks of prostate cancer, metabolic disorders, and inflammation-related diseases.

Chronic inflammation is increasingly recognized as a driver of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and digestive disorders. Encouraged by the results, the research team has already launched a new clinical trial to investigate whether the same tomato-soy juice can help patients with chronic pancreatitis, a painful inflammatory disease of the pancreas.

While larger studies are still needed, the findings highlight a promising idea: everyday foods may become powerful tools for managing inflammation and supporting long-term health.

REFERENCE: Sholola, M. J., et al. (2026). Tomato‐Soy Juice Reduces Inflammation and Modulates the Urinary Metabolome in Adults With Obesity. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.70420. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.70420