There is a lot to know about this vegetable that can be found in numerous dishes and is well known. The tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) was previously known as the love apple, paradise apple or golden apple. However, its current name is derived from the Aztec language, in which the plant is called xītomatl. The plant originally comes from Central and South America, where it was cultivated by the Mayans and other peoples as early as 200 BC. It only came to Europe after the conquest of Central and South America at the beginning of the 16th century. In addition to the most common red variety, there are countless others, from yellow to black. The world of tomatoes is rich in varieties and colors, from the well-known red round ones to unusual varieties such as purple, striped or small berry tomatoes. Breeders are constantly working on developing new varieties that impress not only in terms of taste, but also in terms of disease resistance and yield.  

The tomato consists mainly of water, up to 95%. However, it contains numerous vitamins such as vitamin A, B1, B2, C, E, niacin, healthy secondary plant substances as well as minerals, especially potassium and trace elements. The highest of these is the vitamin C content, which can cover up to 17% of the daily requirement with 100 g of tomato. Many of the substances contained, such as phenols and flavonoids, are known to have many different properties such as antioxidant, antidepressant, blood pressure lowering, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic properties. Lycopene and α-tomatin are also notable components. The former has been observed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity by regulating fat metabolism. The latter has been shown in experiments to be effective against prostate cancer.  

It is therefore obvious that tomato extract may have a positive effect on health. This has led to the development of a special tomato extract called “Fruitflow” that is available on the market and which we also use in our products.  

Several studies examining the tomato extract “Fruitflow” observed a reduced platelet aggregation in humans, which could clog blood vessels. Therefore, current science suggests that with sufficient supplementation, the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis can be reduced, as it reduces the risk of platelet accumulation in the blood vessels.  

Caution  

Although tomatoes offer many health benefits, people with certain allergies or health conditions should exercise caution. In particular, if you have a known allergy to nightshades, histamine intolerance, or reflux disease, it is advisable to consult a doctor  

Literature:  

1. Jacques Lanore: Tables de composition des aliments. Institut scientifique d'hygiène alimentaire, editions, 1985, ISBN 2-86268-055-9.  

1. Elizalde-Romero CA, Montoya-Inzunza LA, Contreras-Angulo LA, Heredia JB, Gutierrez-Grijalva EP. Solanum Fruits: Phytochemicals, Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability, and Their Relationship With Their Health-Promoting Effects. Front Nutr. 2021 Nov 25;8:790582.  

1. Colado-Velázquez JI, Mailloux-Salinas P, Arias-Chávez DJ, Ledesma-Aparicio J, Gómez-Viquez NL, Cano-Europa E, Sarabia GN, Bravo G. Lipidic extract of whole tomato reduces hyperplasia, oxidative stress and inflammation on testosterone-induced BPH in obese rats. Int Urol Nephrol. 2023 Mar;55(3):529-539.  

1. Burton-Freeman, B., & Sesso, HD (2014). Whole food versus supplement: comparing the clinical evidence of tomato intake and lycopene supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 5(5), 457-485.  

1. Bailly C. The steroidal alkaloids α-tomatine and tomatidine: Panorama of their mode of action and pharmacological properties. Steroids. 2021 Dec;176:108933.  

1. Cámara M, Fernández-Ruiz V, Sánchez-Mata MC, Cámara RM, Domínguez L, Sesso HD. Scientific Evidence of the Beneficial Effects of Tomato Products on Cardiovascular Disease and Platelet Aggregation. Front Nutr. 2022 Mar 15;9:849841.  

1. Chen H, Zhang S, Wang H, Bao L, Wu W, Qi R. Fruitflow inhibits platelet function by suppressing Akt/GSK3β, Syk/PLCγ2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation in collagen-stimulated platelets. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2022 Mar 17;22(1):75.  

1. Rehman A, Tyree SM, Fehlbaum S, DunnGalvin G, Panagos CG, Guy B, Patel S, Dinan TG, Duttaroy AK, Duss R, Steinert RE. A water-soluble tomato extract rich in secondary plant metabolites lowers trimethylamine-n-oxide and modulates gut microbiota: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study in overweight and obese adults. J Nutr. 2023 Jan;153(1):96-105.  

1. Zhang S, Chen H, Li C, Chen B, Gong H, Zhao Y, Qi R. Water-Soluble Tomato Extract Fruit flow alters the phosphoproteomic profile of collagen-stimulated platelets. Front Pharmacol. 2021 Sep 27;12:746107.  

1. O'Kennedy, N., Duss, R., & Duttaroy, A.K. (2021). Dietary Antiplatelets: A New Perspective on the Health Benefits of the Water-Soluble Tomato Concentrate Fruitflow®. Nutrients, 13(7), 2184.  

Overview

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is the very first vitamin to be discovered. It is a water-soluble vitamin that is involved in numerous processes in the body that are important for survival. Since our body only has a very small reserve of vitamin B1, we have to consume it daily through food.  

Thiamine serves as a cofactor for some enzymes and must therefore be present so that they can carry out their functions in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Thiamine thus enables our body to be supplied with energy, which is necessary for the function of all our organs. In addition, it plays a role in the transmission of stimuli in the nervous system and is therefore essential for a healthy brain. It plays a role in the formation of some neurotransmitters such as serotonin and myelin, which forms a layer around nerves to enable rapid conduction.  

Thiamine – the most important tasks in brief  

The following thiamine-related health claims have been evaluated and approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) through scientific studies:  

• Thiamine contributes to normal energy metabolism. 
• Thiamine contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system. 
• Thiamine contributes to normal psychological function. 
• Thiamine contributes to the normal functioning of the heart. 

Your daily need for thiamine 

The German Nutrition Society recommends an intake of 1.2-1.3 mg thiamine per day for adult men (19 years and older) and an intake of 1.0 mg thiamine per day for adult women. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have an increased need of 1.2-1.3 mg per day.  

Thiamine is found in animal and plant foods, especially in whole grain products such as whole wheat flour and oatmeal, in wheat germ, in seeds such as sunflower and pine nuts, in muscle meat, especially pork, and in legumes such as peanuts and peas. Since thiamine is sensitive and can easily be lost, you should cook gently to retain as much vitamin B1 as possible. This means, for example, cooking vegetables rather than frying them.  

A diet-related thiamine deficiency usually does not occur in Germany, but usually only as a result of diseases that influence the absorption and metabolism of thiamine. These would be, for example, nausea during pregnancy, gastrointestinal and liver diseases and chronic alcohol abuse.  

Nothing is known about the harmful effects of high doses of vitamin B1, as the excess thiamine is simply excreted by the body.  

How a vitamin thiamine deficiency can manifest itself  

A deficiency of thiamine leads to disruption of carbohydrate metabolism. Without thiamine, our body cannot generate enough energy to function, leading to neurological, cardiovascular and immunological disorders. Severe thiamine deficiency leads to beriberi disease. A distinction is made between dry and wet symptoms. The wet form affects the cardiovascular system. It is manifested by edema and heart failure. The dry form affects the central nervous system. It manifests itself in reflex and movement disorders, muscle weakness and loss of sensation in the extremities. If left untreated, the disease can be fatal.  

Which AgilNature products contain thiamine? 

*Nutrient Reference Value = Percentage of the reference value according to Appendix XIII of the Food Information Regulation (EC) No. 1169/2011.  

Literature: 

1. Thiamine (vitamin B1). DGE. https://www.dge.de/forschung/referenzwerte/thiamin/ (accessed on December 16, 2023)  
2. Polegato BF, Pereira AG, Azevedo PS, Costa NA, Zornoff LAM, Paiva SAR, Minicucci MF. Role of Thiamine in Health and Disease. Nutr Clinic Pract. 2019 Aug;34(4):558-564.  
3. Smith TJ, Johnson CR, Koshy R, Hess SY, Qureshi UA, Mynak ML, Fischer PR. Thiamine deficiency disorders: a clinical perspective. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2021 Aug;1498(1):9-28.  
4. Wiley KD, Gupta M. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Deficiency. 2023 Jul 17. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 30725889.  
5. Calderón-Ospina, CA, & Nava-Mesa, MO (2020). B Vitamins in the nervous system: Current knowledge of the biochemical modes of action and synergies of thiamine, pyridoxine, and cobalamin. CNS neuroscience & therapeutics, 26(1), 5–13.  
6. Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 (Health Claims)