| Introduction | | | | The compound is described as lipophilic which |
| The question regarding what foods contain | | | | means it loves oils and fats in which it dissolves. |
| lycopene has a fairly simple answer because there | | | | On the other hand it literally hates water and is |
| are several sources for this nutrient. While | | | | not soluble in it. Dishes that are rich in oil such as |
| tomatoes are among the commonest, they are | | | | pizza and spaghetti sauce greatly increase the |
| not the richest, and the available amount also | | | | absorption from the digestive system into the |
| depends on the processing. So if one is going to | | | | blood stream. |
| get this from their diet, knowledge of what foods | | | | Most leafy fruit and vegetables (with the notable |
| contain lycopene is helpful in deciding the best | | | | exception of gac) are low in fats and oils. If one |
| source. | | | | needs to maximize the absorption from these |
| Sources | | | | sources then they need to supplement with some |
| The list of what foods contain lycopene includes | | | | oil and fat. |
| several fruits and vegetables among which are: | | | | Can one get it from supplements? |
| rosehip, gac, pink grapefruit, tomatoes, wolfberry, | | | | As we have seen, bioavailability may be an issue |
| pink guava, seabuckthorn, watermelon, red bell | | | | and we need oil to maximize absorption. We have |
| pepper and papaya. | | | | also seen that there are different concentrations |
| While gac - a native fruit of south east Asia - is | | | | in different sources. So while diet is a good |
| the richest source with a concentration of | | | | source, getting a known amount and ensuring that |
| between 2000 -2300 micrograms per gram, it is | | | | it is maximally absorbed can be a challenge. |
| not found much elsewhere. It is however a | | | | A nutritional supplement may help to get around |
| promising source for commercial production. | | | | this. The best is often a multi-ingredient nutritional |
| Tomatoes - with a raw concentration of between | | | | formulation rather than a single substance |
| 9 and 42 micrograms per gram account for the | | | | nutraceutical which lacks the support of other |
| commonest source of dietary intake for most | | | | compounds and co-factors that maximize |
| people. When all their processed forms are | | | | effectiveness. |
| included, they account for 85% of the dietary | | | | I am aware from personal use of a product that |
| intake in the United States. | | | | contains at least 90 ingredients including |
| It may seem strange, but the more that | | | | resveratrol, green tea, policosanol, multi-vitamins, |
| tomatoes are processed, the more available this | | | | ginko biloba, trace elements and many others. |
| nutrient becomes. This is contrary to what we | | | | Clearly the cancer fighting properties of |
| generally find with most fruit and vegetables for | | | | resveratrol and green tea when added to the |
| example we lose vitamin C with cooking. In | | | | powerful antioxidant effects of lycopene make |
| contrast, products like tomato paste, tomato | | | | such a combination hard to beat. |
| puree, ketchup, juices etc contain more | | | | So although we know a bit about what foods |
| bioavailable compound than raw tomatoes. | | | | contain lycopene, there is much more. If you |
| So crushing and cooking tomatoes increases the | | | | would like to know more especially about the |
| availability. In fact the compound in tomato paste | | | | multi-ingredient supplements that can help you |
| is four times more available than that in fresh | | | | realize the full benefits of lycopene, then please |
| tomatoes. | | | | visit my website today. |