The invention provides the use of a water soluble tomato extract or an active fraction thereof for the manufacture of a medicament for lowering plasma triglyceride levels, the water soluble tomato extract or active fraction thereof being substantially free of lycopene and being substantially free from water-insoluble particulate material. Also provided by the invention is a method of lowering triglyceride levels in the blood of a patient through the administration of the water soluble tomato extracts.