According to nutritionists, foods containing probiotics, such as yogurt, kefir or kimchi, can increase the population of good bacteria in our gut and affect the overall health of our body. Researchers at the Technical University of Valencia in Spain recently studied how gut bacteria interact with antioxidants and found that tomato paste, which is rich in antioxidants, can have a great effect on the gut in the presence of good bacteria in the gut. Because tomatoes contain a pigment and antioxidant called lycopene, they protect cells from harmful agents. The researchers found that tomatoes also have probiotic properties and can increase the activity of beneficial bacteria in the gut. They have found in tomatoes, one of the main species of good bacteria, which can interact with the antioxidants in tomatoes themselves and have beneficial effects on intestinal health. On the other hand, the researchers examined the consumption of cooked or raw tomatoes and concluded that the antioxidant properties of tomatoes, when consumed raw, are lost during digestion. However, the cooked form and paste can increase the absorption of the antioxidant lycopene during digestion and it is absorbed by the body; Therefore, tomato paste has more benefits than raw tomato. Tomato paste contains probiotics and antioxidants that, when consumed or cooked in tomatoes, can help increase intestinal bacteria, thereby improving the health of the gut and your body in general, the researchers said.