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.
-
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
About the Data
Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.
You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.
Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.
From the Nutrient Ranking Tool
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- 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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