Top 10 Foods Highest in Lycopene
Lycopene is currently the most powerful antioxidant which has been measured in food (2) and is thought to play a role in preventing cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration (3,4,5,6,7,8). How large a protective role lycopene plays is a controversial issue, still under scientific study.
Lycopene is a carotenoid that gives many fruits and vegetables their red color. Eating lycopene in excess amounts can cause the skin and liver to have a yellow color. Unlike other carotenes, lycopene does not get converted into vitamin A.
There are no known symptoms of a lycopene deficiency, and no daily value (DV) for lycopene.
High lycopene foods include guavas, cooked tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit, papaya, sweet red peppers, persimmon, asparagus, red cabbage, and mangos.
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1. Guavas
Lycopene
per CupLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories8587mcg 5204mcg 15306mcg -
2. Tomato
Lycopene
per Cup CookedLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories7298mcg 3041mcg 33789mcg More Tomato Products High in Lycopene
- 18984mcg in a 1/4 cup of tomato paste
- 16784mcg in 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
- 1433mcg in 1 cup of minestrone soup
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3. Watermelon
Lycopene
per CupLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories6979mcg 4532mcg 30213mcg -
4. Grapefruit
Lycopene
1 Cup SectionsLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories3264mcg 1419mcg 6757mcg -
5. Papaya
Lycopene
per CupLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories2651mcg 1828mcg 8502mcg Mamey Sapote provides 384mcg per cup. -
6. Red Bell Peppers
Lycopene
per Cup CookedLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories513mcg 484mcg 728mcg -
7. Persimmon
Lycopene
per FruitLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories267mcg 159mcg 454mcg -
8. Asparagus
Lycopene
per Cup CookedLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories54mcg 30mcg 273mcg -
9. Red Cabbage
Lycopene
per Cup ChoppedLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories18mcg 20mcg 129mcg -
10. Mangos
Lycopene
per CupLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories5mcg 3mcg 10mcg
Printable One Page Sheet
High Lycopene Foods by Nutrient Density
Food | Serving | Lycopene |
---|---|---|
1. Sun-Dried Tomatoes | 100 grams | 45902mcg |
2. Pasta Sauce | 100 grams | 12717mcg |
3. Ketchup | 100 grams | 12062mcg |
4. Rose Hips | 100 grams | 6800mcg |
5. Canned Minestrone | 100 grams | 5963mcg |
6. Guavas | 100 grams | 5204mcg |
7. Manhattan Clam Chowder | 100 grams | 5112mcg |
8. Watermelon | 100 grams | 4532mcg |
9. Tomato | 100 grams | 3041mcg |
10. Papaya | 100 grams | 1828mcg |
Health Benefits of Lycopene
Warnings
From the Nutrient Ranking Tool
Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.
- Foods High in Lycopene
- Foods Low in Lycopene
- Vegetarian Foods High in Lycopene
- Fast Foods High in Lycopene
View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.
Related
Data Sources and References
- U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
- Mascio PD, Kaiser S, Sies H. Lycopene as the most efficient biological carotenoid singlet oxygen quencher. Biochemistry and Biophysics Volume 274, Issue 2, 1 November 1989, Pages 532-538.
- Giovannucci E, Ascherio A, Rimm EB, et al. Intake of carotenoids and retinol in relation to risk of prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1995;87:1767-1776.
- Sies H, Stahl W. Lycopene: antioxidant and biological effects and its bioavailability in the human. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1998;218:121-124.
- Rao AV, Agarwal S. Bioavailability and in vivo antioxidant properties of lycopene from tomato products and their possible role in the prevention of cancer. Nutr Cancer. 1998;31:199-203.
- Franceschi S, Bidoli E, La Vecchia C, et al. Tomatoes and risk of digestive-tract cancers. Int J Cancer. 1994;59:181-184.
- Sesso HD, Liu S, Gaziano JM, et al. Dietary lycopene, tomato-based food products and cardiovascular disease in women. J Nutr. 2003;133:2336-2341.
- Mares-Perlman JA, Brady WE, Klein R, et al. Serum antioxidants and age-related macular degeneration in a population-based case-control study. Arch Ophthalmol. 1995;113:1518-1523.
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