Lycopene is naturally found in several fruits and vegetables, but most notably in the cooked tomato. It seems that lycopene in raw tomatoes is not as available as when it is cooked. The highest sources of lycopene are available in tomato juices and tomato sauces including spaghetti sauce.
One particularly well organized study showed significant anti-prostate cancer effects of lycopene in tomato based products. It actually demonstrated reduced PSA levels and tumor cell reduction after the participants consumed 30 mg/day of lycopene from cooked tomato based products for a period of three weeks.
Although more research is needed to determine if a lycopene supplement works as well as the dietary lycopene found in tomato products, it seems prudent to supplement your diet with tomato products to reduce your chance of developing prostate cancer.
For your reference, here is the approximate amount of lycopene available in some common food products:
- Tomato Juice (1 cup) = 22mg
- Catsup (1 Tbsp) = 2.9 mg
- Spaghetti Sauce (1/2 cup) = 20 mg
- Tomato Soup (1 cup) = 13.1 mg
- Tomato Sauce (1/4 cup) = 7.3 mg
