Lycopene
<p><b >Lycopene</b> (from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Latin" title="New Latin" >New Latin</a> word <i ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopersicum" title="Lycopersicum" class="mw-redirect" >lycopersicum</a></i> for the tomato species name) is a bright red <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotene" title="Carotene" >carotene</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotenoid" title="Carotenoid" >carotenoid</a> pigment and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytochemical" title="Phytochemical" >phytochemical</a>found in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato" title="Tomato" >tomatoes</a> and other red fruits and vegetables, such as red <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot" title="Carrot" >carrots</a>, red <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_pepper" title="Bell pepper" >bell peppers</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon" title="Watermelon" >watermelons</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya" title="Papaya" class="mw-redirect" >papayas</a> (but not strawberries or cherries).<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopene#cite_note-0" >[1]</a></sup> Although lycopene is chemically a carotene, it has no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_A" title="Vitamin A" >vitamin A</a> activity.<sup id="cite_ref-JACN_1-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopene#cite_note-JACN-1" >[2]</a></sup></p>
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Because preliminary research has shown an inverse correlation between consumption of tomatoes and cancer risk, lycopene has been considered a potential agent for prevention of some types of cancers, particularly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate_cancer" title="Prostate cancer" >prostate cancer</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-JACN_1-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopene#cite_note-JACN-1" >[2]</a></sup> However, this area of research and the relationship with prostate cancer have been deemed insufficient of evidence for health claim approval by the US <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_and_Drug_Administration" title="Food and Drug Administration" >Food and Drug Administration</a> (see below under Antioxidant properties and potential health benefits).</p>
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Given its antioxidant properties, substantial scientific and clinical research has been devoted to a possible correlation between lycopene consumption and general health. </p>
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Early research suggested some amelioration of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiovascular_disease" title="Cardiovascular disease" >cardiovascular disease</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer" title="Cancer" >cancer</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes" title="Diabetes" class="mw-redirect" >diabetes</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoporosis" title="Osteoporosis" >osteoporosis</a>, and even male <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infertility" title="Infertility" >infertility</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopene#cite_note-28" >[29]</a></sup></p>