Are tomatoes, typically a healthy food, bad for ALS patients?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a condition that causes the nerve cells in the brain responsible for controlling movement to degenerate rapidly, eventually leading to paralysis. While gene therapy has been developed to treat some cases of ALS, its results remain limited, and there is no cure for other forms of the disease.

However, as research and development of a cure for ALS continue, it is crucial for patients to manage the disease as effectively as possible to slow its progression. So, what can people with ALS do in their daily lives to help slow down the disease's progression? In fact, some studies suggest that individuals with ALS may be able to slow the progression through diet and supplements. What are some of these options?

Kim Seung-hyun, a professor of neurology at Hanyang University Medical Center, discussed the best and worst foods for people with ALS on the hospital’s YouTube channel. 

He advised, “You should avoid eating fatty parts of pork and beef, as well as ham and cheese. Fried foods appear to be the worst. Whole chicken, French fries, and similar items should be avoided as much as possible.”

“If you want to eat meat, you should choose something like chicken breast,” he said. Chicken breast is very low in fat and high in protein, making it beneficial for people with ALS. Regarding rice, he recommended barley and multigrain rice over regular rice. 

“If you have trouble swallowing, I suggest mixing something with rice, such as barley or multigrain rice, rather than eating plain rice,” he said.

When it comes to food, there are certain principles that are crucial for people with ALS. “The most important thing is to eat a balanced diet to prevent weight loss,” says Kim. “It's essential to consume a good mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and vegetables, rather than focusing on just one type of food.”

Fruits are a good choice for people with ALS, but not all fruits are recommended. According to Dr. Kim, fruits that are too sweet, such as mangoes, should be avoided. However, fruits with dark skins, such as grapes and blueberries, which are rich in antioxidants, are very beneficial for people with ALS.

There is a common misconception that tomatoes, one of the healthiest vegetables, are bad for people with ALS, but this is not true. “There’s a misconception that you shouldn’t eat tomatoes because they’re high in glutamine,” Kim said. “However, tomatoes are actually helpful because they contain a lot of antioxidant enzymes.”

Olive oil is a good choice. “If you're going to use oil, it's better to choose one with unsaturated fatty acids,” says Kim. When cooking salads and other dishes, perilla oil and sesame oil are good, but olive oil is even better. “Butter, margarine, and similar foods should be avoided by people with ALS,” he advises, especially fried foods cooked in oil.

While omega-3s are beneficial for people with ALS, they don't necessarily need to be taken in pill form. “Some people with ALS ask for omega-3 supplements, but the omega-3s found in fish like salmon, saury, mackerel, and rockfish are very good. If you eat half a serving of fish a day, you don’t need to take omega-3 supplements,” he said.