When it comes to eating things that positively affect your body on the inside and out, we at Z.E.N. Foods have some serious skin in the game. In fact, we’re big fans of combining nutrient-packed ingredients that create the most well-balanced meals possible.

You might even say we formed an entire company around that passion.

So, when we say that a specific nutrient in tomatoes is particularly incredible for your skin, we’re not just saying it – we’re basically announcing that we’re obsessed with it. Here’s why:

The Magic of Lycopene

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is a nutrient that can be found in carotenoids like watermelon, squash, apricots, and carrots. And lycopene, dear skincare connoisseurs, is an earthly miracle.

For starters, lycopene’s antioxidant qualities may help improve our resistance to pesticides and herbicides in the air, as well as some fungi and even MSG. You know what they say: true superfoods should give you superpowers.

Furthermore, Lycopene can increase resistance to skin discolorations, reduce wrinkle production, and smooth out existing skin imperfections. It can even decrease pore size!

But most importantly, a healthy diet of foods rich in lycopene can help us build resistance to sun damage, one of the most common causes of skin aging as well as cancer. You still need to wear sunscreen, so think of lycopene as sunscreen’s backup/sidekick/close personal friend.

The Best Source Isn’t a Raw Tomato!

You should always look to get your lycopene fix outside of supplement form. And we recommend looking no further than tomatoes.

However, a fresh, uncooked tomato is #5 of the top 10 most lycopene-heavy foods per 100 grams.

The number one source is sun-dried tomatoes (45.9 mg), while the number two is tomato purée (21.8 mg). To put that into perspective, a fresh tomato has 3 mg of lycopene per 100 grams. Yikes! While still great, it pales in comparison to the other two forms.

Further, sun-dried tomatoes and purée are the number one and two, respectively. Number three is guava at 5.2 mg, and watermelon is fourth with 4.5 mg.

Notice the red theme? They get their color from the lycopene itself, making coloration a great indicator of lycopene content. If you add some sun-dried tomatoes to dishes, look for recipes that call for tomato purée, and rock a fresh tomato/watermelon/guava often, you’ll reap the above-mentioned benefits.

Want more glowing skin care tips? Check out our 5 Easy Ways to Make Your Skin Glow Brighter