Lycopene is a carotenoid that gives tomatoes and certain other fruits and vegetables their color. Carotenoids are the chemicals that are responsible for the red, orange, and yellow color in fruits and vegetables. Some of the foods it is found in are tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit, guava, rosehip, and red chilies.
Animals need carotenoids to help them with their biological coloration. They are also known to be essential for plant growth and photosynthesis, and vital for good health in animals.
Only green plants and some microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and lower algae) can manufacture carotenoids. Humans and animals depend on plants as a source for this vital chemical even though they store it in their bodies.
Research shows that the body absorbs lycopene better if it is processed into tomato juice, sauce, paste and ketchup. During the processing of tomatoes, the chemical bound lycopene is converted by the temperature to make it more easily absorbed by the body.
There are no known side effects and lycopene is thought to be safe for humans who obtain it from eating fruits and vegetables. It is also not known what the potential side effects of lycopene supplementation are either.