Foods high in lycopene (per serving)
15 whole foods ranked by lycopene per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Watermelon, raw leads with 12,962 µg per 1 wedge (approx 1/16 of melon), followed by Tomatoes, red (10,424 µg) and Tomatoes, crushed (6,178 µg).
Lycopene is the red carotenoid in tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit and guava. It is an antioxidant studied for heart and prostate health. There is no Daily Value; values are micrograms per serving. Cooked tomato products supply far more than raw.
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 foods highest in lycopene
- Watermelon, raw1 wedge (approx 1/16 of melon) (286 g) · 86 kcal12,962 µg
- Tomatoes, red (ripe, canned, stewed)1 cup (255 g) · 66 kcal10,424 µg
- Tomatoes, crushed (canned)0.5 cup (121 g) · 39 kcal6,178 µg
- Papayas, raw1 fruit, small (157 g) · 68 kcal2,870 µg
- Guavas, common (raw)1 fruit, without refuse (55 g) · 37 kcal2,862 µg
- Grapefruit, raw (pink and red, all areas)0.5 fruit (3-3/4" dia) (123 g) · 52 kcal1,745 µg
- Peppers, sweet (red, sauteed)1 cup chopped (106 g) · 141 kcal513 µg
- Persimmons, japanese (raw)1 fruit (2-1/2" dia) (168 g) · 118 kcal267 µg
- Asparagus, frozen (cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)1 cup (180 g) · 32 kcal43 µg
- Rutabagas, raw1 cup, cubes (140 g) · 52 kcal20 µg
All 15 foods ranked
Sort any column. Serving sizes are USDA household measures (a cup, a medium fruit, 3 oz of cooked meat or fish, 1 oz of nuts or cheese). The FDA has not set a Daily Value for lycopene.
| # | Food | Group | Serving | Lycopene (µg) | Per 100 g | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watermelon, raw | Fruits | 1 wedge (approx 1/16 of melon) (286 g) | 12,962 | 4,532 | 86 |
| 2 | Tomatoes, red (ripe, canned, stewed) | Vegetables | 1 cup (255 g) | 10,424 | 4,088 | 66 |
| 3 | Tomatoes, crushed (canned) | Vegetables | 0.5 cup (121 g) | 6,178 | 5,106 | 39 |
| 4 | Papayas, raw | Fruits | 1 fruit, small (157 g) | 2,870 | 1,828 | 68 |
| 5 | Guavas, common (raw) | Fruits | 1 fruit, without refuse (55 g) | 2,862 | 5,204 | 37 |
| 6 | Grapefruit, raw (pink and red, all areas) | Fruits | 0.5 fruit (3-3/4" dia) (123 g) | 1,745 | 1,419 | 52 |
| 7 | Peppers, sweet (red, sauteed) | Vegetables | 1 cup chopped (106 g) | 513 | 484 | 141 |
| 8 | Persimmons, japanese (raw) | Fruits | 1 fruit (2-1/2" dia) (168 g) | 267 | 159 | 118 |
| 9 | Asparagus, frozen (cooked, boiled, drained, without salt) | Vegetables | 1 cup (180 g) | 43 | 24 | 32 |
| 10 | Rutabagas, raw | Vegetables | 1 cup, cubes (140 g) | 20 | 14 | 52 |
| 11 | Cabbage, red (raw) | Vegetables | 1 cup, chopped (89 g) | 18 | 20 | 28 |
| 12 | Mangos, raw | Fruits | 1 fruit without refuse (336 g) | 10 | 3 | 202 |
| 13 | Carrots, raw | Vegetables | 1 cup chopped (128 g) | 1 | 1 | 52 |
| 14 | Egg, yolk (raw, fresh) | Dairy and eggs | 1 large (17 g) | 0 | 2 | 55 |
| 15 | Cheese, swiss | Dairy and eggs | 1 oz (28 g) | 0 | 1 | 111 |
How this list is built. Values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, with Foundation Foods analytical updates where available). The pool is 1,677 whole foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, grains, fish, meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Spices, herbs, baby foods, powders, flours, dried and freeze-dried items, juices, processed meats, organ meats other than liver and uncommon foods are excluded; meats, fish, grains and legumes are ranked cooked. Each food family appears once and no single animal or plant fills more than six places. Ranking is by amount per serving; the per-100 g column is shown for reference. A food that USDA has not analysed for lycopene is left out rather than counted as zero. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which food is highest in lycopene?
Among whole foods in the USDA database, Watermelon, raw has the most lycopene per serving: 12,962 µg per 1 wedge (approx 1/16 of melon). Per 100 g it contains 4,532 µg.
Is there a Daily Value for lycopene?
No. The FDA has not set a Daily Value for lycopene, so this list shows µg per serving without a percentage. Lycopene is the red carotenoid in tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit and guava. It is an antioxidant studied for heart and prostate health. There is no Daily Value; values are micrograms per serving. Cooked tomato products supply far more than raw.
Related rankings
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.