Lycopene is a carotenoid, a pigment that gives color to plant-based foods. These carotenoids are fat-soluble, which means that they are stored in your body's fat tissues. Lycopene can be found in your liver, skin and blood. High intake of lycopene is linked to reduced risk of heart disease, according to Mayo Clinic.
Potential Benefits
Lycopene, like other carotenoids, may offer antioxidant benefits, according to the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." This carotenoid may prevent the oxygenation of low-density lipoproteins, which are a type of lipid found in your bloodstream. The antioxidant properties of lycopene may prevent low-density lipoproteins from damaging the cells of your heart and arteries, which may reduce your risk of heart disease. However, current evidence demonstrating the link between high lycopene consumption and reduced cardiovascular disease risk is not conclusive.
Comparison to Beta-Carotene
The potential antioxidant benefits of beta-carotene, another carotenoid, has been extensively studied, primarily because the human body can convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. However, unlike lycopene, beta-carotene supplementation has been shown in several clinical trials to increase the risk of lung cancer, according to the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Beta-carotene supplementation may also increase coronary heart disease risk.
Lycopene and Tobacco Use
Smoking tobacco may increase the risk of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, by introducing free radical molecules into your bloodstream. It may also reduce levels of antioxidant carotenoids, which prevent free radical oxidation in your body -- carotenoid concentrations may be as much as 44 percent lower in smokers than non-smokers, according to the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." However, smoking tobacco may not consistently lower serum levels of lycopene.
Food Sources
Tomatoes and tomato products are among the most well-known sources of lycopene -- tomato paste and sauce contain the highest levels of this carotenoid by volume, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. However, a variety of other foods contain lycopene. These include watermelon, vegetable juice cocktail, baked beans, grapefruit and clam chowder.
