Carrot and tomato paste raise carotene in breast milk
What it found
In breastfeeding women, eating fresh carrot paste raised beta-carotene in their milk, and tomato paste raised lycopene.
Both meals were eaten with a high-fat meal.
What they found
Studies in people
Carotene in milk
Milk beta-carotene rose significantly after the women ate the fresh carrot paste with a high-fat meal.
Lycopene in milk
Milk lycopene levels were elevated after the women ate the fresh tomato paste with a high-fat meal.
Other findings
Amounts given
The carrot meal contained 15 mg of all-trans beta-carotene and the tomato meal contained 15 mg of all-trans lycopene.
What the authors conclude
“We suggest that breast milk carotenoid levels reflect the mother's level of intake and can thus be raised by simple nutritional intervention.”
Also in their conclusions
- They suggest that breast milk carotenoid levels reflect the mother's level of intake and can thus be raised by simple nutritional intervention.
- They say the results may be relevant to breastfeeding mothers of both preterm and term infants by raising antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties in their milk.
How it was done
The authors wanted to measure beta-carotene and lycopene levels in the breast milk of healthy, well-nourished breastfeeding women who were given fresh carrot or tomato paste.
Twelve women were given fresh carrot paste and 14 were given fresh tomato paste once a day for 3 days, each with a high-fat meal. The women avoided other foods containing beta-carotene or lycopene. Milk levels were measured before, during and after the trial.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This was a small trial, so the results may not apply to all breastfeeding women.
- It did not test whether the raised carotene levels in milk affect the health of the infants.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
The paper
- Title
- Elevated milk β-carotene and lycopene after carrot and tomato paste supplementation
- Type
- Clinical trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Haftel L, Berkovich Z, Reifen R (2015). Elevated milk β-carotene and lycopene after carrot and tomato paste supplementation. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.). doi:10.1016/j.nut.2014.10.009PubMed 25701332DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error