Food Sources of lycopene
The best sources of lycopene are tomatoes and tomato products, which is where about 80 percent of lycopene in the average American diet comes from.1 Small amounts can also be found in guava, watermelon, and pink grapefruit.1 Table 1 shows the estimated lycopene content of some foods.
| Product | Serving Size | Lycopene (mg/serving) |
| Tomato juice | 250 mL (1 cup) | 25.0 |
| Tomato ketchup | 15 mL (1 tbsp) | 2.7 |
| Spaghetti sauce | 125 mL (1/2 cup) | 28.1 |
| Tomato paste | 30 mL (2 tbsp) | 13.8 |
| Tomato soup (condensed) | 250 mL prepared | 9.7 |
| Tomato sauce | 60 mL (1/4 cup) | 8.9 |
| Chili sauce | 30 mL (2 tbsp) | 6.7 |
| Cocktail sauce | 30 mL (2 tbsp) | 5.9 |
| Watermelon | 368 g (1 slice: 25 x 2 cm) |
14.7 |
| Pink grapefruit | 123 g (1/2) | 4.9 |
| Raw tomato | 123 g (1 medium) | 3.7 |
| Source: Heinz Institute of Nutritional Sciences, www.lycopene.org. | ||
Lycopene seems to be best available to the body when tomatoes are
cooked and eaten in a meal that provides a small amount of fat.1
One study showed that when tomato juice was heated and mixed
with oil, blood lycopene levels increased more than when plain,
unheated tomato was consumed.1 Of
course, this is not a green light to eat tons of french fries
with ketchup in the name of cancer prevention: No amount of
lycopene can undo the damage of an artery clogging-diet. You
may, however, want to top oven-roasted potatoes with ketchup instead.
This is one case, however, where fresh may actually not be best
as another study showed that blood concentration of lycopene
increased nearly three times when tomato paste was consumed than
when fresh tomatoes were eaten.3
Over-the-counter supplements like purified lycopene extracts are not recommended because other phytochemicals from tomatoes may be needed to provide optimum protection from cancer.1 As always, it's best to eat your fruits and vegetables!
Tips for Increasing Lycopene in Your Diet
Over-the-counter supplements like purified lycopene extracts are not recommended because other phytochemicals from tomatoes may be needed to provide optimum protection from cancer.1 As always, it's best to eat your fruits and vegetables!
Tips for Increasing Lycopene in Your Diet
- Mix sun-dried tomatoes into bread dough or add them to a veggie sandwich.
- For an easy, lycopene-rich meal, go with the old standby—pasta with marinara sauce.
- Add canned tomatoes or salsa to a bean burrito.
- For a refreshing start to your day, enjoy a pink grapefruit.
- Reach for tomato juice to quench your thirst.
- Top a veggie burger with ketchup or salsa.
- Make a quick bruschetta by toasting baguette slices and lightly brushing with olive oil. Top with canned, diced tomatoes and a sprinkling of basil.
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