What is Lycopene? - Discover the Facts and Food Sources of This Powerful Antioxidant

With more and more people becoming health conscious, people are becoming more and more aware of what they are putting into their mouths and the health benefits of those foods.
Even though some studies are showing an increased trend in healthier eating, there is still room for improvement.
Hopefully the trend of the past years of the 'junk food generation' will take a turn and a trend will become more prevalent in those seeking a healthier lifestyle.
For those who have made that commitment to a healthier lifestyle, one question that some are asking is what is lycopene? What is Lycopene? In addition to being a powerful antioxidant, lycopene is a naturally occurring red pigment that can be found in various algal and plant tissues.
This is what gives both tomatoes and watermelon their beautiful red color.
In other words, not only does it look and taste good, it's also good for you.
Lycopene is known to gobble up free radicals which are dangerous to our body's cell structure.
These free radicals can cause things like aging, cancers, and other health related problems in our body.
Scientists believe that a diet rich in foods containing lycopene can reduce some cancers and in some cases has been reported to reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease.
Watermelon is Rich in Lycopene Those who ask what is lycopene generally also want to know the best sources to receive the benefits of this great antioxidant.
While tomatoes are rich in lycopene, recent studies have shown that watermelon may have more lycopene than their red counterparts.
While all watermelon varieties have some lycopene, the seedless varieties tend to have more than the seeded variety.
The studies showed that watermelon has more lycopene than raw tomatoes, but again, this varies based on the type of watermelon and the growing conditions.
Improved Absorption Studies are now underway to determine if the lycopene absorption levels are raised when it is consumed with other fats such as olive oil.
Similar studies have proven to be true with tomatoes when consumed with olive oil or other fats, so it will be interesting to see the results of the watermelon studies as they become available.
Best Way to Take Lycopene As we find more answers about what is lycopene, we also uncover more health benefits of this antioxidant.
Many feel that the best method to get the amount of lycopene that they need is to take a multi-vitamin supplement.
This will allow a person to get enough lycopene and other healthy herbal extracts.
Researchers have discovered that when lycopene is taken alone in a supplement, the health benefits it offers are nowhere near as great when it is taken in conjunction with other nutrients that naturally enhance its health benefits.