Colorless Tomato Compound Outperforms Lycopene in Preventing Fatty Liver in Mice
Tufts University researchers found that phytoene, a colorless precursor to lycopene, significantly reduced fatty liver disease in mice fed a high-carbohydrate diet. The protective effect depended on the body breaking down phytoene into smaller metabolites, as mice lacking specific enzymes showed no benefit despite high phytoene levels. This suggests that pale or golden tomatoes, which retain more phytoene, may offer distinct liver health advantages over red varieties.












