Lycopene is a pigment, or coloring, that is found in tomatoes and some other foods. It gives tomatoes their red color.

Lycopene acts as an antioxidant in your body, which benefits your health. Lycopene is the most powerful of all carotenoid (or pigment) antioxidants. As an antioxidant, lycopene helps protect the cells of your body from harmful free radicals.

An antioxidant is a substance that inhibits, or stops, oxidation or reactions promoted by oxygen or peroxides. These reactions can lead to disease in the body. Oxidation is kind of complicated, but trying to understand it will help you know why it is important to eat foods rich in lycopene. Oxidation is the process by which electrons are lost. So what does that mean? Oxidation in the body occurs when elements or ions change from a lower to a higher positive valence. What that means is that an unstable molecule, like a free radical, removes one or more electrons from a healthy cell. This can lead to disease in your body.

Cancer occurs when normal cells become abnormal and keep dividing and forming new cells without controlled order. Unlike normal cells, which produce new cells only when needed, cancer cells are atypical in structure and do not have specialized functions. They compete with normal cells for nutrients, eventually killing normal tissue. When these cancerous cells keep dividing without need they form masses of tissue called tumors. These tumors can either be benign or malignant. Malignant cells are cancerous.

Heart disease is an abnormal condition of the heart or of the circulation system. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in North America.

Scientists don’t actually know why lycopene reduces the risk of these types of cancers but studies indicate that it does. They do know that as lycopene consumption goes, it appears that of cancer and heart disease go down. They also believe that lycopene prevents bad  cholesterol, LDL, from being oxidized. When LDL becomes oxidized it builds up and forms plaques in arteries, which leads to heart attack. Sometimes determining why is a difficult question that continuously directs new research. The effects of lycopene are still being studied and more answers are needed.

Carotenoids are pigments, or substances that make things certain colors. Pigments are the coloring matter in animals and plants, especially in a cell or tissue. Lycopene is one pigment in the family of carotenoids. Carotenoids such as lycopene occur naturally in fruits and vegetables. The human body does not make carotenoids, so in order to benefit from carotenoids like lycopene you need to ingest, or eat, them.

Phyto is the Greek prefix for plant, which literally means to bring forth. Therefore things that are phytochemical have to do with the chemistry of plants, plant processes, and plant products. Carotenoids like lycopene are phytochemical. Some phytochemicals are chemopreventives—meaning they help prevent cancer.

Functional Foods are foods that contain substances, either found naturally or added to the food, that provide a health benefit beyond their nutritional value (See functional food chart). A balanced diet that contains many different kinds of foods, including those regarded as functional, can be beneficial.

In the body, lycopene is deposited into the liver, lungs, prostate gland, testes, colon, and skin.

Free radicals are aggressive chemicals that cause permanent damage when they react with cell components. They are atoms or molecules that have an unpaired electron that makes them highly reactive. Free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule and "steal" its electron. When a stable molecule is attached it becomes a free radical itself, creating a chain that can eventually cause cell damage. There has been an association between free radicals and premature aging and the development of degenerative diseases.

Bio means life or living system, and available means ready for use. So bioavailability is the degree and rate at which a substance (such as lycopene) is absorbed into a living system or is made available to the body.

Oxidation reactions occur when a substance combines with oxygen. Oxidation reactions are necessary for body functions. These reactions can cause damage if the oxygen becomes "reactive" by becoming peroxide or a singlet oxygen.

Oxidative stress describes a process in which there is an increase in free radicals that damages cells and causes disease. When this happens the body does not maintain its healthy antioxidant protection.

Many people think of beta-carotene when they hear the word antioxidant. That’s because beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant, just as lycopene is. Since both of these pigments are in the carotenoid family, they are considered cousins.

Well, ketchup is the number one condiment being used today. It is found in 97 percent of households in the United States, and nearly as many in Canada. So ketchup is a popular thing, but what is all the buzz about ketchup recently? Here’s the reason: processed tomato products (ketchup, as well as juices, sauces, and pastes) are good dietary sources of lycopene. And lycopene is good for your health.

Research suggests that the human body processes lycopene more efficiently when consumed with small amounts of oil or fat. Lycopene is fat-soluble. When it is processed with a small amount of oil or fat it is more easily absorbed by the body. Coupling Heinz Ketchup with hot dogs and hamburgers may offer ways to increase lycopene absorption. This is because lycopene is better absorbed with some fat. But don’t think that you can eat all the hotdogs and hamburgers you want. You still need to make healthy diet decisions, just remember to get lycopene.