Lycopene is a red pigment that is naturally present in certain plants and algae. It is considered a carotenoid--a plant pigment commonly found in orange fruits or vegetables and some green vegetables. Currently, lycopene is being researched for its anti-oxidant properties in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases, such as cancer and asthma. A 2005 review by Edward Giovannucci in "The Journal of Nutrition" discussed a decrease of 25 to 30 percent of prostate cancer in men who consumed a high intake of cooked tomato products, which are high in lycopene.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes and tomato products have the highest levels of lycopene. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, 1 cup of unsalted tomato paste contains 75,362 mcg of lycopene; one fresh tomato contains 3,165 mcg. A study led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture determined that lycopene from tangerine tomatoes offers more efficient nutritional absorption than lycopene from red tomatoes. Increasing your tomato consumption increases your lycopene blood level, thus increasing its beneficial presence as an anti-oxidant in your body.
Watermelon
Watermelon is packed with the benefits of lycopene. Most lycopene information discusses tomatoes, but watermelon is high in lycopene also. Watermelon has 46.8 mg of lycopene per kilogram of melon weight--nearly as much as tomatoes, which have 54.9 mg per kilogram. The lycopene amounts differ with the watermelon variety. Seedless watermelons tend to have more lycopene than nonseedless varieties. The reddest watermelon flesh has the most nutrients. Watermelon juice is currently being sold as a good source of anti-oxidants, due to its high lycopene content.
Other Fruits
In the USDA Nutrient Database, 4,029 foods contain lycopene. Pink or red fruits, such as guava, grapefruit, apricot, pomegranate and persimmon, contain lycopene. The 1999 "Journal of Food Composition and Analysis" measured lycopene levels in grapefruit at 14.6 mg per kilogram and in persimmon at 1.58 mg per kilogram. Concentrated juices or sauces of these fruits contain even higher amounts of lycopene.
Vegetables
Lower lycopene levels exist in vegetables. Many lycopene-positive vegetables exhibit red pigmentation, such as red cabbage, carrots, red peppers and beets. Asparagus is one of the few green vegetables containing lycopene. Vegetable juice cocktail, which usually contains tomato, is very high in lycopene, at 23,337 mcg per cup.
Processed Foods
Processed foods that contain tomato products tend to have high levels of lycopene. Such foods include pizza, soup, salsa, baked beans and salad dressing. Spaghetti with marinara sauce has 13,373 mcg of lycopene per cup. Even barbecue sauce and catsup have significant amounts of lycopene.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; Lycopene Content of Selected Foods per Common Measure
- MayoClinic.com: Lycopene
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Tomato Products, Lycopene, and Prostate Cancer; Edward Giovannucci; 2005
- American Cancer Society: Lycopene
- USDA Agricultural Research Service: Tangerine Tomatoes Surpass Reds in Preliminary Lycopene Study; Marcia Wood; February 1, 2011
- "EFSA Journal"; Revised Exposure Assessment for Lycopene as a Food Colour; 2010
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