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| Food Name | Lycopene |
| Butter, salted | 0 |
| Butter, whipped, with salt | 0 |
| Butter oil, anhydrous | 0 |
| Cheese, blue | 0 |
| Cheese, brick | 0 |
| Cheese, brie | 0 |
| Cheese, camembert | 0 |
| Cheese, cheddar | 0 |
| Cheese, colby | 0 |
| Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd | 0 |
| Cheese, cottage, creamed, with fruit | 0 |
| Cheese, cottage, nonfat, uncreamed, dry, large or small curd | 0 |
| Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 2% milkfat | 0 |
| Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 1% milkfat | 0 |
|
Usage Note
- Lycopene value is in mcg and calculated per 100g of food weight.
- Click on column header to sort foods by name or by Lycopene content.
Lycopene
information from the
National Institutes of Health
Lycopene is a naturally occurring chemical that gives fruits and vegetables a red
color. It is one of a number of pigments called carotenoids. Lycopene is found in
watermelons, pink grapefruits, apricots, and pink guavas. It is found in particularly
high amounts in tomatoes and tomato products. In North America, 85% of dietary lycopene
comes from tomato products such as tomato juice or paste. One cup (240 mL) of tomato
juice provides about 23 mg of lycopene. Processing raw tomatoes using heat (in the
making of tomato juice, tomato paste or ketchup, for example) actually changes the
lycopene in the raw product into a form that is easier for the body to use. The
lycopene in supplements is about as easy for the body to use as lycopene found in
food.
People take lycopene for preventing heart disease, "hardening of the arteries" (atherosclerosis);
and cancer of the prostate, breast, lung, bladder, ovaries, colon, and pancreas.
Lycopene is also used for treating human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, which
is a major cause of uterine cancer. Some people also use lycopene for cataracts
and asthma.
Lycopene Effectiveness
information from the
National Institutes of Health
Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that may help protect cells from damage. This
is why there is a lot of research interest in lycopene’s role, if any, in preventing
cancer.
There is insufficient evidence to rate effectiveness for:
Prostate cancer. Early research in men with precancerous changes in their prostate
shows that taking 4 mg of lycopene supplements twice daily might delay or prevent
progression to prostate cancer. In addition, researchers have surveyed men about
their diet and health and found contradictory information about a possible role
for lycopene in preventing prostate cancer. Some of these studies show that lycopene
from foods, such as tomato products, is associated with a lower risk of developing
prostate cancer. But other research shows no association between dietary lycopene
intake and prostate cancer risk. However, for men in this study who had a family
history of prostate cancer, getting more lycopene from food seemed to offer some
protection against getting prostate cancer.
Breast cancer. Several studies have tried to determine whether getting more lycopene
from food or taking supplements will help to prevent breast cancer. But findings
have not agreed.
Bladder cancer. Research to date suggests that lycopene intake from the diet and
lycopene levels in the blood don’t affect the risk of getting bladder cancer.
Ovarian cancer. Some research shows that a diet rich in carotenoids, including lycopene,
seems to help prevent ovarian cancer in young (premenopausal) women.
Pancreatic cancer. Some research shows that a diet high in lycopene, primarily from
tomatoes, seems to lower the risk of getting pancreatic cancer.
Lung cancer. There is some evidence that getting lycopene from foods -- 12 mg/day
or more for men, and 6.5 mg/day or more for women—lowers lung cancer risk in nonsmoking
men aged 40 to 75, and nonsmoking women aged 30 to 55.
Cancer of the colon and rectum. Research so far suggests that there is no connection
between dietary lycopene and the risk of getting cancer of the colon or rectum.
White pre-cancerous patches in the mouth (oral leukoplakia). Developing clinical
research shows that taking 8 mg/day or 4 mg/day of a specific lycopene supplement
(LycoRed, Jagsonpal Pharmaceutical) significantly improves oral leukoplakia.
Heart disease. Study results are mixed. Some research shows that women with higher
levels of lycopene in their blood have a lower risk of getting heart disease. But
other studies show no link between lycopene intake and the risk of heart attack
and stroke in women. In men already at low risk for heart disease, increasing dietary
lycopene does not seem to prevent heart attacks.
Eye disease (age related maculopathy). So far, it appears that dietary lycopene
has no effect on getting or preventing age-related maculopathy.
Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. Women with higher levels of lycopene in their
blood seem to get over HPV infections.
“Hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis).
Asthma attacks brought on by exercise.
Cataracts.
Lycopene - Additional Info
Lycopene (from the New Latin word lycopersicum for the tomato species name) is a
bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes and
other red fruits and vegetables, such as red carrots, watermelons and papayas (but
not strawberries or cherries). Although lycopene is chemically a carotene, it has
no vitamin A activity.
In plants, algae, and other photosynthetic organisms, lycopene is an important intermediate
in the biosynthesis of many carotenoids, including beta carotene, responsible for
yellow, orange or red pigmentation, photosynthesis, and photo-protection. Like all
carotenoids, lycopene is a polyunsaturated hydrocarbon (an unsubstituted alkene).
Structurally, it is a tetraterpene assembled from eight isoprene units, composed
entirely of carbon and hydrogen, and is insoluble in water. Lycopene's eleven conjugated
double bonds give it its deep red color and are responsible for its antioxidant
activity. Due to its strong color and non-toxicity, lycopene is a useful food coloring.
Lycopene is not an essential nutrient for humans, but is commonly found in the diet,
mainly from dishes prepared from tomatoes. When absorbed from the stomach, lycopene
is transported in the blood by various lipoproteins and accumulates in the liver,
adrenal glands, and testes.
Because preliminary research has shown an inverse correlation between consumption
of tomatoes and cancer risk, lycopene has been considered a potential agent for
prevention of some types of cancers, particularly prostate cancer. However, this
area of research and the relationship with prostate cancer have been deemed insufficient
of evidence for health claim approval by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Lycopene Food Sources
List of foods highest in lycopene. Lycopene content is in micrograms per 100 grams of food weight.
| Foods High in Lycopene |
Lycopene |
| Tomatoes, sun-dried |
45902 |
| Tomato products, canned, paste, without salt added |
28764 |
| Tomato products, canned, paste, with salt added |
28764 |
| Tomato products, canned, puree, with salt added |
21754 |
| Tomato products, canned, puree, without salt added |
21754 |
| Tomato products, canned, sauce, with mushrooms |
18942 |
| Tomato products, canned, sauce, with onions, green peppers, and celery |
18454 |
| Soup, tomato rice, canned, condensed |
17183 |
| Tomato products, canned, sauce |
13979 |
| Tomato sauce, canned, no salt added |
13979 |
| Soup, vegetable, canned, low sodium, condensed |
13848 |
| Sauce, tomato chili sauce, bottled, with salt |
12819 |
| Sauce, pasta, spaghetti/marinara, ready-to-serve |
12665 |
| Sauce, pasta, spaghetti/marinara, ready-to-serve, low sodium |
12665 |
| Sauce, steak, tomato based |
12564 |
| Soup, tomato, canned, condensed, reduced sodium |
10920 |
| Soup, tomato, canned, condensed |
10920 |
| Sauce, salsa, ready-to-serve |
10515 |
| Vegetable juice cocktail, canned |
9660 |
| Tomato and vegetable juice, low sodium |
9660 |
| Tomato juice, canned, with salt added |
9037 |
| Tomato juice, canned, without salt added |
9037 |
| Ravioli, cheese-filled, canned |
8625 |
| Soup, tomato rice, canned, prepared with equal volume water |
8591 |
| Soup, beef noodle, canned, condensed |
8507 |
| Pasta with Sliced Franks in Tomato Sauce, canned entree |
7506 |
| Foods High in Lycopene |
Lycopene |
| Snacks, vegetable chips, made from garden vegetables |
7248 |
| Pasta with meatballs in tomato sauce, canned entree |
7199 |
| Soup, vegetable soup, condensed, low sodium, prepared with equal volume water |
6924 |
| Rose Hips, wild (Northern Plains Indians) |
6800 |
| Sauce, cocktail, ready-to-serve |
6753 |
| Soup, mushroom with beef stock, canned, condensed |
6632 |
| Soup, clam chowder, manhattan, canned, condensed |
6426 |
| Soup, minestrone, canned, reduced sodium, ready-to-serve |
6359 |
| Soup, minestrone, canned, chunky, ready-to-serve |
5963 |
| Soup, bean with pork, canned, condensed |
5946 |
| Soup, tomato, canned, prepared with equal volume water, commercial |
5345 |
| Soup, tomato, low sodium, with water |
5345 |
| Soup, tomato, canned, prepared with equal volume low fat (2%) milk |
5261 |
| Soup, clam chowder, manhattan style, canned, chunky, ready-to-serve |
5112 |
| Tomatoes, crushed, canned |
5106 |
| Sauce, barbecue, low sodium |
4431 |
| Soup, beef noodle, canned, prepared with equal volume water |
4253 |
| Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, stewed |
4088 |
| Salad dressing, french dressing, reduced calorie |
3843 |
| Salad dressing, russian dressing |
3576 |
| Ravioli, meat-filled, with tomato sauce or meat sauce, canned |
3461 |
| Pulled pork in barbecue sauce |
3435 |
| Spaghetti with meat sauce, frozen entree |
3200 |
| Soup, clam chowder, manhattan, canned, prepared with equal volume water |
3147 |
| Burrito, beef and bean, microwaved |
3128 |
| Salad dressing, thousand island dressing, reduced fat |
3097 |
| Tomatoes, red, ripe, cooked |
3041 |
| Foods High in Lycopene |
Lycopene |
| Tomatoes, red, ripe, cooked, with salt |
3041 |
| Clam and tomato juice, canned |
2982 |
| Ravioli, cheese with tomato sauce, frozen, not prepared, includes regular and light entrees |
2966 |
| Soup, chunky vegetable, canned, ready-to-serve |
2953 |
| Soup, tomato beef with noodle, canned, prepared with equal volume water |
2929 |
| Soup, bean with pork, canned, prepared with equal volume water |
2910 |
| Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice |
2767 |
| Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice, no salt added |
2767 |
| Pasta with tomato sauce, no meat, canned |
2678 |
| Salad dressing, thousand island, commercial, regular |
2597 |
| Salad dressing, bacon and tomato |
2597 |
| Soup, chili beef, canned, condensed |
2584 |
| Babyfood, dinner, beef stew, toddler |
2575 |
| Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average |
2573 |
| Burrito, beef and bean, frozen |
2533 |
| Salad dressing, french dressing, reduced fat |
2530 |
| Salad dressing, french dressing, reduced fat, without salt |
2530 |
| PIZZA HUT 12" Cheese Pizza, Hand-Tossed Crust |
2310 |
| Lean Pockets, Meatballs & Mozzarella |
2174 |
| Sauce, sweet and sour, prepared-from-recipe |
2032 |
| Fast Food, Pizza Chain, 14" pizza, cheese topping, thin crust |
2013 |
| Fast Food, Pizza Chain, 14" pizza, pepperoni topping, thick crust |
1966 |
| Fast Food, Pizza Chain, 14" pizza, pepperoni topping, thin crust |
1958 |
| Fast Food, Pizza Chain, 14" pizza, pepperoni topping, regular crust |
1957 |
| Soup, vegetarian vegetable, canned, condensed |
1930 |
| Fast Food, Pizza Chain, 14" pizza, cheese topping, thick crust |
1927 |
| Pizza, cheese topping, rising crust, frozen, cooked |
1925 |
| Fast Food, Pizza Chain, 14" pizza, cheese topping, regular crust |
1915 |
| Pizza, meat and vegetable topping, rising crust, frozen, cooked |
1899 |
| Fast Food, Pizza Chain, 14" pizza, sausage topping, regular crust |
1884 |
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