Under the title “Mediterranean tomato-based sofrito protects against vascular alterations in obese Zucker rats by preserving NO bioavailability”, the research emphasises the nutritional value of sofrito and explores its potentially beneficial effects on obesity-related vascular and metabolic alterations in an animal model of this pathology. The main reason is the high content of bioactive compounds (polyphenols and carotenoids) in tomatoes and olive oil and the sofrito’s lipid matrix, which preserves the integrity of its bioactive components.

After studying and monitoring the effects of incorporating sofrito into the diet of both lean and obese rats, the team of researchers concluded that tomato-based sofrito provides protection against vascular alternations that may precede major obesity-associated cardiometabolic complications. In doing so, the findings also substantiate and help explain the Mediterranean diet’s therapeutic properties for the treatment of highly prevalent diseases such as obesity and diabetes.