Written by Daisy Whitbread BSc (Hons) MSc DipION Medically Reviewed by Dr. Patricia Shelton
Evidence Based. References sourced from PubMed. Powered by USDA Nutrition Data.
Lycopene is the most powerful antioxidant measured in food (1) and is thought to play a role in preventing cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration. (2,3,4,5,6,7) Further, lycopene is good for healthy skin. (8)
Lycopene is a carotenoid that gives many fruits and vegetables their red color. Carotenoids are substances that are chemically similar to vitamin A, and they act as antioxidants in the body.
Although lycopene is believed to have health benefits, eating it in excess amounts can cause lycopene to deposit in the tissues, causing the skin and even the liver to have a yellow color. (9)
There are no known symptoms of lycopene deficiency. Because of this, no daily value (DV) for lycopene has been established.
High lycopene foods include guavas, cooked tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit, papaya, sweet red peppers, persimmon, asparagus, red cabbage, and mangos.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- List of High Lycopene Foods
- Printable
- High Lycopene Foods by Nutrient Density
- Lists By Food Group
- References
List of High Lycopene Foods
1. Guavas + AddSee Alsoβ-Carotene and Other CarotenoidsLycopene
per CupLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories8587mcg 5204mcg 15306mcg Nutrition Facts for Guavas. (Source)
- 2. Tomato + Add
Lycopene
per Cup CookedLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories7298mcg 3041mcg 33789mcg Nutrition Facts for Cooked Tomatoes. (Source)
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
- 3. Watermelon + Add
Lycopene
per CupLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories6979mcg 4532mcg 30213mcg Nutrition Facts for Watermelon. (Source)
- 4. Grapefruit + Add
Lycopene
1 Cup SectionsLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories3264mcg 1419mcg 6757mcg Nutrition Facts for Pink Grapefruit. (Source)
- 5. Papaya + Add
Lycopene
per CupLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories2651mcg 1828mcg 8502mcg Nutrition Facts for Papaya. (Source)
Mamey Sapote provides 384mcg per cup.
- 6. Red Bell Peppers + Add
Lycopene
per Cup CookedLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories513mcg 484mcg 728mcg Nutrition Facts for Cooked Red Bell Peppers (Sauteed). (Source)
- 7. Persimmon + Add
Lycopene
per FruitLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories267mcg 159mcg 454mcg Nutrition Facts for Fuyu Persimmon. (Source)
- 8. Asparagus + Add
Lycopene
per Cup CookedLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories54mcg 30mcg 273mcg Nutrition Facts for Cooked Asparagus (Boiled, Drained). (Source)
- 9. Red Cabbage + Add
Lycopene
per Cup ChoppedLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories18mcg 20mcg 129mcg Nutrition Facts for Raw Red Cabbage. (Source)
- 10. Mangos + Add
Lycopene
per CupLycopene
per 100gLycopene
per 200 Calories5mcg 3mcg 10mcg Nutrition Facts for Mangos. (Source)
Next ➞
Printable One Page Sheet
Click to Print
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 |
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
- Foods for a Healthy Heart
- High Lutein and Zeaxanthin Foods
- Vitamin A Foods
- Foods High in Beta Carotene
Data Sources and References
- Di Mascio P, Devasagayam TP, Kaiser S, Sies H. Lycopene as the most efficient biological carotenoid singlet oxygen quencher Biochem Soc Trans. 1990 Dec;18(6):1054-6. doi: 10.1042/bst0181054. 2088803
- Schuurman AG, Goldbohm RA, Brants HA, van den Brandt PA. Intake of carotenoids and retinol in relation to risk of prostate cancer Cancer Causes Control. 2002 Aug;13(6):573-82. doi: 10.1023/a:1016332208339. 12195647
- Stahl W, Sies H. Lycopene: antioxidant and biological effects and its bioavailability in the human Arch Biochem Biophys. 1996 Dec 1;336(1):1-9. doi: 10.1006/abbi.1996.0525. 8951028
- Kiokias S, Gordon MH. Bioavailability and in vivo antioxidant properties of lycopene from tomato products and their possible role in the prevention of cancer Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003 Sep;57(9):1135-40. doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601655. 12947433
- La Vecchia C. Tomatoes and risk of digestive-tract cancers Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1998 Jun;218(2):125-8. doi: 10.3181/00379727-218-44276. 9605210
- Kirsh VA, Mayne ST, Peters U, Chatterjee N, Leitzmann MF, Dixon LB, Urban DA, Crawford ED, Hayes RB. Dietary lycopene, tomato-based food products and cardiovascular disease in women Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Jan;15(1):92-8. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-05-0563. 16434593
- Cardinault N, Abalain JH, Sairafi B, Coudray C, Grolier P, Rambeau M, Carré JL, Mazur A, Rock E. Serum antioxidants and age-related macular degeneration in a population-based case-control study Clin Chim Acta. 2005 Jul 1;357(1):34-42. doi: 10.1016/j.cccn.2005.01.030. 15963792
- Tarshish E, Hermoni K, Sharoni Y, Muizzuddin N. Beauty from within: Improvement of skin health and appearance with Lycomato a tomato-derived oral supplement J Cosmet Dermatol. 2022 Sep;21(9):4042-4052. doi: 10.1111/jocd.14724. Epub 2022 Jan 12. 35020247
- Palleschi GM, Knoepfel BR, Lotti T. Carotenoderma due to lycopenemia: A case report and evaluation of lycopene deposition in the skin Int J Dermatol. 1992 Jan;31(1):50-1. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1992.tb03521.x. 1737690
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