Lycopene Explained: The Red Pigment in Tomatoes and Watermelon

By the Zespo team · Updated 26 October 2026

Lycopene is a carotenoid, part of the same family of natural pigments as beta-carotene. It gives tomatoes, watermelon, pink guava, papaya and red grapefruit their red and pink colours.

Cooked tomatoes vs raw

Lycopene is locked inside plant cell walls. Cooking tomatoes, as in curries, chutneys and sauces, breaks those walls, and because lycopene is fat-soluble, a little oil in the dish makes more of it available.

On a supplement label

Lycopene supplements are usually made from tomato extract and are often supplied in an oil base inside a capsule. Labels list lycopene in milligrams per serving, commonly 10 to 30 mg.

What to check before you buy

• The amount of each ingredient per serving, not just per capsule
• How many capsules make one serving and how many servings are in the pack
• Whether any ingredient sits inside an undisclosed "proprietary blend"
• An FSSAI licence number and the veg/non-veg mark on the pack

Label facts: Zespo Lycopene 30 mg - 90 Veg Capsules

• Naturally occurring carotenoid, the same pigment found in ripe tomatoes
• 30 mg in a single daily capsule
• Fat-soluble carotenoid - best taken with a meal
• Made in India in a GMP-certified facility, FSSAI-licensed

See Zespo Lycopene 30 mg - 90 Veg Capsules on zespo.in · Also on Amazon.in (search "Zespo").

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Zespo products are food supplements, not medicines. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Take supplements as directed on the label and speak to a qualified healthcare professional if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition.