Top 8 Real Foods with Lycopene: The Cancer-Fighting Phytonutrient
Also see the top natural sources of Vitamin D in foods
By Kaitlyn Dreyling
The Health Benefits of Lycopene
Lycopene is the pigment that gives certain fruits their red coloring. This carotenoid is believed to have strong antioxidant powers, with some studies showing a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration. There is no established Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for lycopene, but there's evidence that phytonutrients like lycopene are an important part of disease prevention.
Here are the top foods sources of lycopene according to the USDA’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference .
Tomatoes
Pretty much anything with tomatoes in it is rich in lycopene. That includes not only includes whole tomatoes, tomato-based soups, sauces and salsas, but also ketchup, baked beans, BBQ sauce and salad dressings derived from tomatoes. One cup of canned tomato sauce has 34 mg of lycopene.
Recipes:
Spaghetti Bolognese
Pork, Beans and Organic Beer Chili
Vegetable Stew Nicoise with Tofu
Grandma Kelly’s Organic Beef Stew
Spaghetti with Artichokes, Beans, Spinach
Harissa Soup
Country Curried Chicken
Tomato and Rice Soup
Homemade Vegetable Soup
BBQ Brisket
Shepherd’s Pie with Brown Ale
Shrimp with Asian BBQ Sauce
Catfish Sloppy Joes
Watermelon
Watermelon gets its red color from lycopene, and one wedge has about 13 mg of the antioxidant. Watermelon is also a great choice because it's one of the clean 15 fruits and vegetables low in pesticide residue.
Grapefruit
This vitamin C-rich fruit has its reddish pink color due to lycopene. Half a grapefruit has 17 mg of this red carotenoid.
Recipes:
Winter Greens with Pink Grapefruit and Red Onions
Baby-Greens Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette
Grapefruit and Spinach Salad
Grapefruit Relish
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