Tomatoes and Tomato Products
Tomatoes and tomato products have plant compounds that may be specifically useful in decreasing the development of atherosclerosis.
For instance, tomatoes contain the carotenoid pigment lycopene, which is used in enhancing heart health. Studies have shown that people who consume lycopene-rich tomato products experience reduction in inflammation, increasement of HDL (good) cholesterol and decreasement of the risk of heart disease. [4] Mixing cooked tomato with olive oil can help reduce or eliminate clogged arteries in the body.
A research was done on over 40 people and it was discovered that consuming sauce with olive oil had the greatest effects on decreasing adhesion molecules and inflammatory proteins, compared with raw tomatoes and plain tomato sauce. However, tomato generally helps with the increasement of HDL (good) cholesterol and increasement of total cholesterol.