Tomatoes and lycopene: raw, cooked, or with oil?

Lycopene is a fat-soluble carotenoid, meaning it dissolves in fat. In a raw tomato, it's trapped within cell walls. Heat and crushing break down these structures and partly release it, making it more accessible to digestion.

A 2002 study measured this: after heating at 88°C, measurable lycopene content increased by about 55% within 2 minutes and more than doubled after 15 to 30 minutes. At the same time, vitamin C dropped by about 29% after 30 minutes. Cooking therefore brings a gain in one nutrient and a loss in another.

No form replaces the others. Raw tomatoes have their place in salads; cooked tomatoes suit soups, sauces, and simmered dishes. The best choice is often the one you eat regularly.

Since lycopene dissolves in fat, pairing them favors its absorption. In a small randomized trial conducted in 2005 with 23 healthy adults, eating cooked tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil increased blood lycopene by about 82%, while the same cooked tomatoes without oil did not significantly change the main form of lycopene.

No precise amount is required. A drizzle of oil in a sauce, a vinaigrette, or a meal that already contains nuts, seeds, cheese, or another fatty food is enough.

Observational studies have linked tomato consumption or blood lycopene levels to various health indicators. These associations can reflect the rest of the diet and lifestyle: they don't support promising prevention or treatment. A 2022 review on food processing notes, moreover, that the antioxidants present in the fresh plant can differ substantially from those actually ingested.

Lycopene doesn't replace a varied diet or medical advice. Tomatoes also provide other nutrients, whose content depends on variety, ripeness, and the form sold. Varying vegetables is more useful than optimizing a single molecule.

• Alternate a tomato salad and a cooked sauce over the course of the week.
• Add fat according to taste and the balance of the meal, without trying to hit a specific dose.
• For canned goods, sauces, and pastes, compare added salt and sugar between two products.
• Store and reheat products according to the package instructions.
• If tomatoes cause reflux or discomfort, reduce the portion, change the form, or ask for advice if the problem persists.

For another example of a vegetable whose cooking changes the nutrients absorbed, see the article raw or cooked carrots: beta-carotene and preparation.