Nutrition Basics 5 Delicious Ways to Get More Lycopene Into Your Diet By Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 26, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT Medically reviewed by Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT Facebook Twitter Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT is a New York City-based telehealth registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition communications expert. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Lycopene is a plant pigment that gives foods like tomatoes, grapefruit, and watermelon their red and pink colors. That's kind of cool. But what's even better is that lycopene is an antioxidant compound that can fight free-radical damage to the cells in your body and helps with lowering blood pressure. A 2021 review of 11 studies indicated that lycopene may help decrease systolic pressure (the top number of your blood pressure reading). The number indicates how much pressure is being exerted against the artery walls when your heart beats. This decreasing effect is even more pronounced in people with high blood pressure. Lycopene is part of the carotenoid family, which is a group of compounds related to vitamin A. Other important carotenoids includes alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin. What are Carotenoids? Various studies have suggested that eating a diet rich in lycopene-containing foods is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Other studies suggest that lycopene assists with macular degeneration, but these benefits have only been demonstrated in observational (rather than clinical) studies. So it's possible that lycopene has a synergistic effect with other antioxidants or nutrients. Foods that are high in lycopene also tend to be high in vitamin c, folate, and potassium. Because lycopene-rich foods also have many other important nutrients, it's important to get your lycopene from whole foods rather than pills. 1 Spaghetti Sauce Lauri Patterson/Getty Images Fresh foods are generally better for your health. But, when it comes to lycopene, you're better off with processed foods because they are heat stable. Research shows that heating tomatoes for at least 2 hours at 100 degrees Fahrenheit releases the lycopene making it easily accessible by the body. Canned tomatoes are also a great alternative. Spaghetti sauce (or any red sauce made from tomatoes) is rich in lycopene and other vitamins and minerals. Try making homemade spaghetti sauce or look for brands that are low in sodium, like Eden Organic Spaghetti Sauce. Make it a nutritious meal by serving on whole grain pasta with a garden salad on the side. 2 Tomato Juice Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Drinking tomato juice as a beverage is another delicious way to get lycopene. One cup of tomato juice has lycopene, is low in calories and also has plenty of vitamin A and vitamin C. 3 Watermelon Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Take a watermelon and cut it into several pieces. You'll get a bit of lycopene in every bite. Watermelon is also a delicious source of potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin A. Plus it's low in calories. Watermelon can be served all alone or for a wonderful salad. 4 Salsa Lauri Patterson/Getty Images Using salsa as a dip or a topping is another great way to get plenty of lycopene. Make your own salsa or buy a nutritious ready-to-serve salsa like Muir Glen Organic Salsa. It's such a versatile food—salsa is a natural with baked tortilla chips, but it also tastes great with eggs, or on top of potatoes. 5 Pink Grapefruit or Pink Grapefruit Juice Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Pink grapefruit doesn't have as much lycopene as the other foods above, but it's low in calories and is also a tasty source of vitamins A and C. You can also enjoy pink grapefruit juice to get some lycopene in your diet. Just watch out for any added sugar. How Carotenoids Give Plants Their Color Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to lose weight? Our nutrition guide can help you get on the right track. Sign up and get it free! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 3 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Rattanavipanon W, Nithiphongwarakul C, Sirisuwansith P, et al. Effect of tomato, lycopene and related products on blood pressure: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Phytomedicine. Published online February 2021:153512 doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153512 Chen, Ping MD; Zhang, Wenhao MD; Wang, Xiao MD; Zhao, Keke MD; Negi, Devendra Singh MD; Zhuo, Li MD; Qi, Mao MD; Wang, Xinghuan MD; Zhang, Xinhua MD, PhD Lycopene and risk of prostate cancer, Medicine: August 2015 - Volume 94 - Issue 33 - p e1260 doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001260 Mohammed, MI, Malami DI Effect of heat treatment on the lycopene content of tomato puree. ChemSearch Journal. Vol. 4 No. 1 (2013) Additional Reading FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture.