The content of vitamins and plant compounds in tomatoes can vary greatly between varieties and sampling periods (8, 9, 10).
The main plant compounds in tomatoes are:
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- Lycopene. A red pigment and antioxidant, lycopene has been extensively studied for its beneficial health effects (11).
- Beta carotene. An antioxidant that often gives foods a yellow or orange hue, beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in your body.
- Naringenin. Found in tomato skin, this flavonoid has been shown to decrease inflammation and protect against various diseases in mice (12).
- Chlorogenic acid. A powerful antioxidant compound, chlorogenic acid may lower blood pressure in people with elevated levels (13, 14).
Chlorophylls and carotenoids like lycopene are responsible for the rich color of tomatoes.
When the ripening process starts, the chlorophyll (green) is degraded and carotenoids (red) are synthesized (15, 16).
Lycopene
Lycopene — the most abundant carotenoid in ripened tomatoes — is particularly noteworthy when it comes to the fruit’s plant compounds.
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It’s found in the highest concentrations in the skin (17, 18).
Generally, the redder the tomato, the more lycopene it has (19).
Tomato products — such as ketchup, tomato juice, tomato paste, and tomato sauces — are the richest dietary sources of lycopene in the Western diet, providing over 80% of dietary lycopene in the United States (20, 21).
Gram for gram, the amount of lycopene in processed tomato products is often much higher than in fresh tomatoes (22, 23).
For example, ketchup boasts 10-14 mg of lycopene per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), while one small, fresh tomato (100 grams) holds only 1-8 mg (24).
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However, keep in mind that ketchup is often consumed in very small amounts. Thus, it may be easier to bump up your lycopene intake by eating unprocessed tomatoes — which also have far less sugar than ketchup.
Other foods in your diet may have a strong effect on lycopene absorption. Consuming this plant compound with a source of fat can increase absorption by up to four times (25).
However, not everyone absorbs lycopene at the same rate (26).
Even though processed tomato products are higher in lycopene, it’s still recommended to consume fresh, whole tomatoes whenever possible.
SUMMARY
Lycopene is one of the most abundant plant compounds in tomatoes. It’s found in the highest concentrations in tomato products, such as ketchup, juice, paste, and sauce.
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