20 Foods High in Lycopene: Best Sources for Heart Health, Skin Protection, and Cancer Defense

Lycopene is the carotenoid pigment responsible for the vivid red color of tomatoes, watermelon, guava, and pink grapefruit, and it is one of the most potent antioxidants found in the human diet. Unlike beta-carotene and other carotenoids, lycopene has no vitamin A activity, meaning it does not convert to retinol in the body. Instead, it functions exclusively as a fat-soluble antioxidant, quenching singlet oxygen and neutralizing free radicals in lipid environments including cell membranes, LDL cholesterol particles, and the fatty tissues where it accumulates. The National Institutes of Health identifies lycopene among the dietary carotenoids with the strongest antioxidant capacity, with observational research consistently linking higher lycopene status to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer, and oxidative stress-related conditions.

What makes lycopene scientifically distinctive is that it becomes more bioavailable after cooking and processing, not less. Heating tomatoes breaks down the cell walls that bind lycopene within plant tissue, and the cis-isomers produced during cooking are absorbed more efficiently than the trans-lycopene in raw tomatoes. Tomato paste, tomato sauce, and canned tomatoes provide dramatically more bioavailable lycopene than raw tomatoes of equivalent weight. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health confirms that lycopene absorption increases substantially when tomato products are heated and consumed alongside dietary fat, since lycopene is fat-soluble and requires fat for absorption into the intestinal wall.

There is no established dietary reference intake for lycopene, but research suggests that 8 to 21 mg per day is the range associated with meaningful health benefits in population studies. The 20 foods below are the richest lycopene sources available, spanning cooked tomato products, fresh fruits, and several surprising sources.

20 Foods With the Highest Lycopene Content

1. Tomato Paste: The Most Concentrated Lycopene Food

Two tablespoons of tomato paste provide approximately 13 to 27 mg of lycopene, the highest concentration of any commonly available food per serving. Tomato paste is tomatoes cooked down and concentrated to remove most of the water, which simultaneously concentrates the lycopene content and converts it to highly bioavailable cis-lycopene forms through heat processing. A single tablespoon of tomato paste delivers more bioavailable lycopene than a full medium raw tomato.

Harvard Health Publishing identifies tomato products as the primary dietary lycopene source for most people, with cooked and concentrated forms consistently providing the highest and most bioavailable doses per serving. Using tomato paste as a base for sauces, soups, and stews is one of the most efficient lycopene delivery strategies available in everyday cooking.

Best eaten: Stirred into pasta sauces, soups, and stews; used as a pizza base; dissolved into meat dishes for depth of flavor; always cook with olive oil to maximize fat-soluble lycopene absorption.

Per 2 tbsp (33 g); lycopene increases significantly when cooked in oil.

2. Canned Tomatoes: An Affordable High-Lycopene Staple

One cup of canned whole or crushed tomatoes provides approximately 25 mg of lycopene, more than a full day’s research-suggested target in a single cup. The canning process involves heat treatment that converts trans-lycopene to the more bioavailable cis form while the liquid in the can preserves the lycopene released from broken cell walls during processing.

Canned tomatoes are one of the most practical everyday lycopene sources because they are shelf-stable, inexpensive, and pre-cooked, meaning the lycopene is already in its most bioavailable form before you even begin preparing a meal. Adding them to soups, chilis, and pasta sauces requires no additional effort while delivering a substantial lycopene dose.

Best eaten: In soups, chilis, pasta sauces, and grain dishes; always cook with olive oil or alongside a fat-containing protein to maximize lycopene absorption; choose no-salt-added varieties for sodium-conscious cooking.

Per 1 cup canned whole tomatoes.

3. Tomato Sauce (Cooked): A Ready-Made Lycopene Delivery Vehicle

Half a cup of cooked tomato sauce provides approximately 17 to 21 mg of lycopene in a form that is immediately ready for absorption. Commercial pasta sauce, marinara, and homemade tomato sauce all provide concentrated, highly bioavailable lycopene because the extended cooking time and typically included olive oil or other fats optimize both concentration and absorption simultaneously.

Research published in Frontiers in Nutrition demonstrated that lycopene-rich diets based on tomato products significantly improved HDL cholesterol functionality and reduced inflammatory markers in middle-aged adults, with cooked tomato products providing the highest circulating lycopene levels of all dietary sources tested.

Best eaten: Over whole wheat pasta, on pizza, as a dipping sauce for whole grain bread, or as a base for shakshuka and braised dishes; homemade sauce with olive oil maximizes both lycopene content and absorption.

Per 1/2 cup cooked tomato sauce.

4. Watermelon: The Richest Fresh Fruit Source of Lycopene

Two cups of fresh watermelon cubes provide approximately 12 to 13 mg of lycopene, the highest lycopene content of any fresh fruit eaten without cooking. Watermelon’s lycopene is more bioavailable than raw tomato lycopene because the fruit’s soft, watery flesh does not bind lycopene as tightly as the denser cell walls of raw tomatoes, allowing more efficient release during digestion.

Watermelon also provides citrulline, an amino acid that supports nitric oxide production and vascular health, creating a complementary cardiovascular benefit alongside its lycopene content. The combination of lycopene and citrulline in watermelon makes it one of the most cardiovascular-targeted fresh fruits available.

Best eaten: Fresh and raw as a summer fruit, blended into smoothies and juices, cubed into fruit salads; eating watermelon alongside nuts or cheese provides the fat needed to enhance lycopene absorption from this low-fat fruit.

Per 2 cups (280 g) cubed.

5. Sun-Dried Tomatoes: A Concentrated Lycopene Ingredient

Two tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes provide approximately 6 to 9 mg of lycopene in a small, intensely flavored package. The drying process concentrates the lycopene content of fresh tomatoes dramatically: sun-dried tomatoes contain far more lycopene per gram than fresh tomatoes because water removal concentrates all remaining nutrients. Sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil are particularly effective lycopene sources because the oil improves absorption of the fat-soluble carotenoid directly in the package.

Best eaten: Chopped into pasta dishes, grain salads, and sandwiches; blended into spreads and dips; added to pizza toppings; those packed in olive oil provide built-in fat for lycopene absorption.

Per 2 tbsp (14 g); higher in oil-packed varieties.

6. Pink Grapefruit: A Citrus Fruit With Meaningful Lycopene

Half a medium pink grapefruit provides approximately 1.8 to 2.2 mg of lycopene alongside vitamin C, naringenin, and potassium. Pink and red grapefruits contain lycopene while white grapefruit contains essentially none, with the pink pigment being a direct visual indicator of lycopene presence. Its lycopene content, while modest compared to tomato products, comes packaged with naringenin, a flavonoid with independent cholesterol-lowering and anti-inflammatory properties.

Note that grapefruit interacts with numerous medications through CYP3A4 enzyme inhibition; consult a healthcare provider if you take prescription drugs before increasing grapefruit consumption significantly.

Best eaten: Halved and eaten with a spoon, segmented into salads, or juiced fresh; the natural fat from other meal components improves lycopene absorption from this low-fat fruit.

Per 1/2 medium pink grapefruit.

7. Guava (Red/Pink): A Tropical Lycopene Powerhouse

One cup of raw pink or red guava provides approximately 5 to 8 mg of lycopene alongside an extraordinary 377 mg of vitamin C and folate. Red and pink guava varieties contain substantial lycopene while white-fleshed guava varieties contain very little, with the fruit’s flesh color being a direct indicator of lycopene content. Guava’s combination of lycopene and vitamin C creates a dual antioxidant effect covering both fat-soluble and water-soluble oxidative defense pathways.

The NIH has documented guava as one of the richest combined sources of vitamin C and lycopene among tropical fruits, making it a uniquely complete antioxidant fruit for populations where it is consumed regularly.

Best eaten: Fresh and raw, sliced into fruit salads, blended into smoothies; eat the skin as it contains concentrated lycopene and vitamin C; choose deeply red or pink-fleshed varieties for maximum lycopene.

Per 1 cup raw red or pink guava.

8. Tomato Juice: A Convenient Liquid Lycopene Source

One cup of tomato juice provides approximately 22 mg of lycopene in a convenient drinking format. Tomato juice is made from cooked and pressed tomatoes, giving it a similar lycopene profile to canned tomatoes with the lycopene already in its more bioavailable cis form from heat processing during production.

For people who do not cook frequently with tomato products, drinking a daily glass of low-sodium tomato juice is one of the most practical strategies for consistent lycopene intake, delivering a near-full research-suggested daily lycopene dose in a single glass without any preparation.

Best eaten: As a daily morning beverage; choose low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties; drinking alongside a small amount of fat such as a handful of nuts or a piece of cheese improves lycopene absorption from this low-fat liquid.

Per 1 cup (240 ml); choose low-sodium varieties.

9. Ketchup: A Condiment With Surprisingly High Lycopene

One tablespoon of standard ketchup provides approximately 2.5 mg of lycopene. While ketchup is not a health food due to its added sugar and sodium content, its high lycopene concentration reflects its tomato paste base and heat processing. For people who use ketchup regularly, it contributes a consistent lycopene addition with every use.

The lycopene in ketchup is highly bioavailable: the cooking process that concentrates tomatoes into ketchup converts lycopene to its more absorbable cis form, and the small amount of fat typically consumed alongside ketchup (from burgers, fries, or eggs) provides the dietary fat needed for lycopene absorption.

Best eaten: As a condiment in moderate amounts; choose reduced-sugar and lower-sodium varieties; not a food to eat primarily for lycopene but a meaningful incidental contributor for regular users.

Per 1 tbsp.

10. Red Bell Pepper (Cooked): A Lycopene-Containing Sweet Pepper

One cup of cooked red bell pepper provides approximately 0.5 to 0.9 mg of lycopene alongside its extraordinary vitamin C and beta-carotene content. While red bell peppers are not primarily known as a lycopene food, their red pigment reflects a small but real lycopene contribution alongside the dominant beta-carotene and vitamin C that drive their nutritional profile.

Cooking red bell peppers increases lycopene bioavailability compared to raw, consistent with the pattern seen across all lycopene-containing foods, and their natural fat-soluble carotenoid profile makes them a useful multi-carotenoid food that provides lycopene alongside beta-carotene in complementary antioxidant roles.

Best eaten: Roasted until soft and slightly caramelized, sauteed in olive oil alongside other vegetables, or added to pasta sauces and grain dishes; cooking with olive oil maximizes absorption of both lycopene and beta-carotene.

Per 1 cup cooked.

11. Tomato Soup (Condensed): A Convenient Cooked Lycopene Source

Half a cup of condensed tomato soup prepared with water provides approximately 9 to 13 mg of lycopene depending on the brand and preparation method. Commercial tomato soup is made from concentrated tomato products and undergoes extended cooking during production, resulting in highly bioavailable cis-lycopene that is ready for absorption as soon as it is consumed.

Preparing tomato soup with milk instead of water adds fat that further improves lycopene absorption while contributing calcium and protein, making milk-prepared tomato soup a nutritionally more complete lycopene delivery vehicle than water-prepared versions.

Best eaten: Prepared with low-fat milk instead of water for added fat and protein; choose low-sodium varieties; homemade from canned tomatoes with olive oil provides higher lycopene with more nutritional control.

Per 1/2 cup condensed, prepared with water; higher prepared with milk.

12. Papaya (Red/Orange): A Tropical Lycopene Fruit

One cup of fresh papaya provides approximately 0.9 to 2.6 mg of lycopene alongside vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate, and papain. Red and orange-fleshed papayas contain more lycopene than yellow-fleshed varieties, with the flesh color intensity correlating with lycopene concentration. Papaya’s combination of lycopene and beta-carotene delivers dual carotenoid antioxidant coverage in a single tropical fruit serving.

Papain, the digestive enzyme unique to papaya, has anti-inflammatory properties that complement lycopene’s antioxidant activity, making papaya a fruit that supports both oxidative defense and inflammatory regulation through complementary mechanisms.

Best eaten: Fresh and raw with lime juice, cubed into fruit salads, blended into smoothies; choose deeply colored orange-red flesh varieties for maximum lycopene; eat alongside a small fat source such as yogurt or nuts for improved carotenoid absorption.

Per 1 cup raw; red-fleshed varieties provide more.

13. Cooked Asparagus: A Vegetable With Trace Lycopene

One cup of cooked asparagus provides approximately 0.3 to 0.5 mg of lycopene alongside folate, vitamin K, and prebiotic fiber. While asparagus is not a meaningful lycopene source in isolation, its consistent daily consumption as a vegetable contributes a small background lycopene addition that compounds with primary lycopene sources across the week.

Asparagus’s prebiotic inulin fiber feeds the gut bacteria that improve the absorption and metabolism of carotenoids including lycopene from other foods consumed across the same day, creating an indirect lycopene absorption benefit through microbiome support.

Best eaten: Roasted with olive oil and lemon, steamed briefly to preserve nutrients, or grilled alongside fish and chicken; its folate and vitamin K content makes it a nutritionally productive vegetable regardless of its modest lycopene contribution.

Per 1 cup cooked.

14. Red Cabbage: A Vegetable With Trace Lycopene

One cup of raw red cabbage provides approximately 0.02 to 0.1 mg of lycopene alongside its primary antioxidants anthocyanins and vitamin C. Red cabbage’s lycopene content is minimal, but its consistent use as a salad and slaw vegetable contributes a trace background addition to total lycopene intake that accumulates across regular consumption.

Its far more significant antioxidant contribution comes from its anthocyanin content, which operates through a complementary water-soluble antioxidant pathway independent of lycopene’s fat-soluble mechanism.

Best eaten: Raw in slaws and salads, lightly braised with apple cider vinegar, or fermented as red sauerkraut; primarily valuable for its anthocyanin and vitamin C content rather than lycopene specifically.

Per 1 cup raw shredded.

15. Tomato Ketchup (No Added Sugar): A Cleaner Lycopene Condiment

One tablespoon of no-added-sugar ketchup provides approximately 2.3 mg of lycopene with significantly less sugar than standard varieties. For people who use ketchup as a regular condiment, choosing no-added-sugar versions preserves the lycopene contribution while eliminating the unnecessary added sugar that diminishes its health value.

Best eaten: As a condiment on eggs, lean proteins, and grain dishes; choose varieties with tomato as the primary ingredient and no high-fructose corn syrup or added sugars.

Per 1 tbsp no-added-sugar variety.

16. Gac Fruit: An Extraordinary Southeast Asian Lycopene Source

Gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis), a spiky red fruit native to Southeast Asia, contains approximately 70 mg of lycopene per 100 grams of flesh, one of the highest lycopene concentrations of any food in the world. It is less commonly available in Western markets but is used in traditional Vietnamese ceremonial rice dishes and is increasingly available in specialty and Asian grocery stores.

Gac’s extraordinary lycopene content combined with beta-carotene makes it nutritionally unlike any other fruit available. Where it is accessible, even small portions provide lycopene doses far exceeding those from tomato products.

Best eaten: In traditional xôi gac (Vietnamese sticky rice), blended into juices and smoothies when fresh, or sourced as a concentrated oil from specialty nutrition suppliers; rarely available fresh in Western markets but worth seeking in Asian grocery stores.

Per 100 g flesh; extraordinarily rich but limited availability in Western markets.

17. Tomato-Based Salsa: A Condiment With Meaningful Lycopene

Two tablespoons of commercial tomato salsa provide approximately 1 to 2 mg of lycopene alongside vitamin C from fresh tomatoes. While salsa’s lycopene content is modest, its widespread daily use as a condiment, dip, and cooking ingredient makes it a consistent background lycopene contributor for households that eat Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine regularly.

Cooking salsa into dishes or using it as a cooking sauce rather than purely as a cold dip improves lycopene bioavailability by converting trans-lycopene to more absorbable cis forms through heat exposure.

Best eaten: As a condiment on eggs, grain bowls, and lean proteins; cooked into dishes for improved lycopene bioavailability; choose varieties with tomatoes as the primary ingredient and minimal added sugar.

Per 2 tbsp.

18. Red Flesh Dragonfruit: An Exotic Lycopene Fruit

One cup of red-fleshed dragonfruit (Hylocereus costaricensis) provides approximately 1.5 to 3 mg of lycopene alongside vitamin C, iron, and magnesium. Red-fleshed dragonfruit contains lycopene while the white-fleshed variety (Hylocereus undatus) contains essentially none, with the vivid red-pink flesh color directly indicating lycopene content.

As dragonfruit becomes more widely available in mainstream grocery stores and its popularity grows through social media food content, it represents an increasingly accessible exotic lycopene fruit option for people seeking dietary variety alongside their primary tomato-based lycopene sources.

Best eaten: Fresh and raw, sliced into fruit bowls, blended into smoothies; choose varieties with deep red flesh for maximum lycopene; the flesh’s natural fat content is low so pairing with yogurt or nuts improves lycopene absorption.

Per 1 cup red-fleshed variety; white-fleshed varieties contain negligible lycopene.

19. Baked Beans (Tomato-Based): A Legume With Incidental Lycopene

Half a cup of commercially prepared baked beans in tomato sauce provides approximately 2.5 to 4 mg of lycopene from the tomato sauce component, alongside 7 grams of protein, fiber, iron, and folate from the beans themselves. The tomato sauce used to prepare baked beans is heat-processed, delivering bioavailable cis-lycopene alongside the beans’ complementary mineral and protein content.

Baked beans are one of the few everyday foods that provide lycopene incidentally through their preparation rather than as their primary nutritional identity, making them a practical lycopene addition for people who eat them regularly as a breakfast or lunch staple.

Best eaten: As a breakfast side dish, on whole-grain toast, or alongside eggs; choose reduced-sugar and lower-sodium varieties; homemade baked beans with tomato paste and iodized salt provides more control over lycopene content and sodium level.

Per 1/2 cup canned tomato-based baked beans.

20. Raw Tomato: The Classic Everyday Lycopene Fruit

One medium raw tomato provides approximately 3 to 4 mg of lycopene, significantly less than cooked tomato products of comparable weight because the lycopene in raw tomatoes is bound within plant cell walls and exists primarily in the less absorbable trans form. Despite its lower bioavailability compared to cooked tomatoes, raw tomatoes are consumed so widely and daily as salad components, sandwiches, and snacks that they represent a consistent background lycopene contributor for most people.

Slicing or chopping raw tomatoes ruptures some cell walls, modestly improving lycopene release compared to eating them whole, and eating raw tomatoes alongside olive oil in a dressing or alongside an avocado provides the fat needed to improve what lycopene absorption does occur.

Best eaten: Sliced into salads with olive oil dressing, chopped into salsas and salads, eaten alongside fat-containing foods to improve lycopene absorption; cooked preparations always provide more bioavailable lycopene from the same tomato.

Per 1 medium raw tomato (123 g).

Summary: Top 20 Lycopene Foods at a Glance

Tips for Getting the Most Lycopene From Food

Cook tomatoes for dramatically better lycopene absorption. This is the single most impactful lycopene habit available. Cooking tomatoes in olive oil converts poorly absorbed trans-lycopene to highly bioavailable cis-lycopene while simultaneously providing the fat needed for fat-soluble carotenoid absorption. A bowl of pasta with tomato sauce cooked in olive oil delivers five to ten times more bioavailable lycopene than the equivalent weight of raw tomatoes in a salad.

Always eat lycopene foods with dietary fat. Lycopene is fat-soluble and requires fat for absorption through the intestinal wall. Eating watermelon, raw tomatoes, or pink grapefruit without any fat source in the same meal delivers a fraction of the lycopene that would be absorbed alongside olive oil, avocado, nuts, or cheese.

Use tomato paste as your daily lycopene base. One to two tablespoons of tomato paste stirred into soups, stews, grain dishes, and sauces is the most efficient strategy for consistent high-dose lycopene intake. It requires no additional preparation, adds depth of flavor to any savory dish, and delivers more bioavailable lycopene per tablespoon than any other food in the standard pantry.

Choose red and pink over white or yellow in every fruit category. The red and pink pigment in fruits is a direct visual indicator of lycopene presence: pink grapefruit over white, red-fleshed guava over white, red dragonfruit over white, and deeply colored watermelon over pale. This color rule applies consistently across the lycopene food category and requires no nutritional analysis, just visual selection at the market.

Build lycopene intake across multiple daily sources. While tomato paste and canned tomatoes are the most efficient lycopene sources, combining them with daily watermelon or guava, a tablespoon of ketchup or salsa as a condiment, and occasional pink grapefruit builds cumulative lycopene coverage from diverse sources that provide complementary antioxidant compounds alongside their shared lycopene contribution.

Lycopene and prostate health. The most consistent observational evidence for lycopene relates to prostate cancer risk reduction, with multiple large studies finding that higher dietary lycopene intake is associated with lower prostate cancer incidence. While evidence is not conclusive enough for clinical recommendations, regular consumption of cooked tomato products is a low-risk, high-benefit dietary habit for all men and particularly relevant for those with family history of prostate cancer.

The Bottom Line

Lycopene is one of the most powerful fat-soluble antioxidants in the diet and one of the most under-discussed, partly because it does not have an official RDA and partly because its primary food source, the tomato, is so ordinary that its exceptional antioxidant value is easily overlooked. The evidence linking higher lycopene status to reduced cardiovascular disease risk, lower prostate cancer incidence, UV-induced skin protection, and reduced oxidative stress is among the most consistent in carotenoid nutrition research. Building lycopene into the daily diet requires nothing exotic: tomato paste in cooking, canned tomatoes in soups and stews, a daily glass of tomato juice, and seasonal watermelon and guava alongside the ubiquitous raw tomato in salads. The single most impactful habit change is cooking tomatoes in olive oil rather than eating them exclusively raw, which transforms a modest lycopene food into one of the most potent dietary antioxidant sources available in any kitchen.

Nutrition data sourced from the USDA FoodData Central database and published lycopene composition research. Individual values may vary based on variety, ripeness, cooking method, and processing. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Grapefruit interacts with numerous medications; consult your healthcare provider before significantly increasing grapefruit intake if you take prescription drugs.