4 Foods with More Lycopene Than Tomatoes

When you hear about lycopene, the first food that often comes to mind is tomatoes. And that makes sense, since 85% of the lycopene that people consume comes from the vibrant, red fruit. The plant compound has powerful antioxidant properties that help neutralize free radicals, which wreak havoc in the body, potentially contributing to the development of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer., Lycopene intake is associated with lower rates of these chronic diseases and has been shown to offer protective properties to pregnant women who could be at risk of developing preeclampsia.,

Aside from fresh tomatoes, lycopene can be found in a variety of red- and pink-colored fruits and vegetables. Some have significant amounts of lycopene—they offer up more than the 5,060 micrograms found in a cup of chopped fresh tomato. Check out these other lycopene-rich foods and discover how you can include them in your meals and snacks with tips from two culinary dietitians.

Food Sources of Lycopene

1. Tomato Soup

1 cup = 12,000 mcg

“While it is true that tomatoes are a source of lycopene, cooking foods with lycopene generally increases the bioavailability of lycopene, meaning that cooked tomato products have more of this antioxidant than a whole tomato,” explains Cindy Chou, RDN. One cup of tomato soup has twice the amount of lycopene as one cup of raw tomatoes. Try our Tomato Soup recipe to go along with your mains and sides, a quesadilla or grilled cheese sandwich or add tortellini or beans and greens into the soup for a filling and hearty meal.

2. Marinara Sauce

½ cup = 17,100 mcg

Looking for an easy way to get lycopene? Try marinara sauce, a tomato-based sauce made with tomatoes, garlic and herbs that can be used as a dipping sauce, pasta sauce, pizza topping or in egg dishes like shakshuka. About a half-cup portion of marinara sauce has more than three times the lycopene of a cup of fresh tomato. Try store-bought marinara or make your own with a slow cooker.

3. Guava

1 cup = 8,590 mcg

This underrated fruit has a generous amount of vitamin C and more than 1.5 times the lycopene as the same serving of tomatoes. If you’ve never tried guava, your first bite of this sweet and tangy tropical fruit may remind you of a crossover between a strawberry and a pear. Laura Pensiero, RDN, enjoys eating guava as a snack, adding slices to fruit salads or yogurt parfaits, incorporating the fruit (minus the seeds) to make smoothies, and making guava jam for toast.

4. Watermelon

1 cup = 7,020 mcg

This juicy and hydrating fruit is perfect for any hot day and for getting your daily dose of lycopene. Cup for cup, watermelon beats out fresh tomatoes when it comes to lycopene power.

Enjoy watermelon cubes as a refreshing snack, add them to summer rice bowls, salads and salsas, or blend this hydrating fruit in smoothies and soups. “Kids would also love drinking watermelon juice or eating sherbet and popsicles,” mentions Pensiero. She adds that grilling enhances the flavor of watermelon—put chunks on skewers with a savory cheese like feta for a tasty summertime hors d’oeuvre.

Notable Mentions:

1. Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2 pieces (10g) = 4,600 mcg

Sun-dried tomatoes are dehydrated, ripe tomatoes that give you an intensified flavor of the fruit. Just two pieces (about 10 grams) of sun-dried tomatoes have almost the amount of lycopene as one cup of fresh tomatoes., Add sun-dried tomatoes to your favorite pasta or creamy casserole or blend them with sour cream to make a dipping sauce to go along with crispy salmon bites.

2. Pink Grapefruit

1 cup = 2,550 mcg

While grapefruit has about half the amount of lycopene in tomatoes, the citrusy fruit deserves a mention. Grapefruit may interact with some types of medications, including those used for treating blood pressure, high cholesterol, Crohn’s disease and more. Before adding grapefruit to your diet, consult your health care provider to find out if it is safe for you to eat this fruit.

Our Ruby-Red Grapefruit Cocktail and Grapefruit Soda are delicious beverages for any occasion. Chou loves our Brown Sugar Broiled Grapefruit, where a hint of sweetness added to the grapefruit makes a stark difference in flavor, and she adds that segmented grapefruit (raw or caramelized) also pairs well with fennel, like in our Fennel & Grapefruit Salad.

3. Rose Hips

1/4 cup = 2,160 mcg

Rose hips are small, round fruits with edible seeds from the rose plant and boast 2,160 mcg per 1/4 cup. Pensiero suggests brewing rose hip tea for a refreshing drink, using the fruit to make a rose hip jam and spreading it on whole-grain toast, or adding dried rose hips to homemade granola or trail mix.

4. Papaya

1 cup = 3,020 mcg

This fruit, native to Central America, is a good source of lycopene. When comparing cup to cup, papaya has about two-thirds the lycopene of tomatoes. Enjoy this sweet, pinkish-orange fruit by cutting it in half and spooning out the flesh. Chou also likes adding a splash of lime juice and Tajín, a chili-lime seasoning, to experience a blend of sweet, citrusy, savory and spicy flavors.

Pensiero says that you can also dice it into pieces for fruit salads and parfaits. Her favorite is blending papaya and then freezing the puree into ice pops, roasting papaya with brown sugar for a dessert, and blending the fruit into tropical cocktails like margaritas.

How Much Lycopene Do You Need?

Research suggests that 2,000 to 20,000 mcg of lycopene every day supports optimal health. While there isn’t a recommended daily intake established for lycopene, adding more fruits and vegetables to your meals and snacks is a good starting point to get this antioxidant, according to Chou: “The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 2½ cup-equivalents of vegetables and 2 cup-equivalents of fruits each day, which naturally includes lycopene-rich options.”

Strategies for Eating More Produce

• Fill half your plate with veggies and fruits. Aim to include fruits and vegetables by following the MyPlate method of eating your meals. Pensiero says, “Make veggies the star by building meals around vegetables, like stir-fries or veggie-based soups.”
• Keep produce accessible. Pensiero recommends storing washed, cut fruits and veggies at eye level in the fridge or on the counter for easy snacking. Pair pre-cut veggies with hummus, dip or yogurt.
• Find creative ways to include veggies. Eating veggies can go beyond adding them to your plate. Add extra greens to smoothies, soups, pasta sauces and casseroles.
• Try new varieties. Both Chou and Pensiero support the idea of experimenting with a new veggie or fruit each week. Chou says, “Small, consistent additions can make a big difference over time without feeling overwhelming.”

Our Expert Take

While tomatoes are a star source of lycopene, there are other red- and pink-hued foods with similar (and in some cases, more) lycopene. Tomato products, including sun-dried tomatoes, tomato soup and marinara sauce, are excellent sources of lycopene. Fruits that have a substantial amount of lycopene include watermelon, papaya and rose hips. While there isn’t an established amount of how much lycopene you need every day, it is nonetheless an important antioxidant with many health benefits. Try different ways to include more veggies and fruits in your meal pattern to ensure you get your daily dose of this powerful antioxidant.