Tomatoes: Nutrition Facts, Lycopene and Are Tomatoes Healthy?

Tomatoes are mostly water, low in calories and a useful source of vitamin C, potassium and the red pigment lycopene. A medium raw tomato has about 22 calories in USDA data, and cooked or concentrated tomato foods such as sauce and paste carry far more lycopene per serving than a fresh slice. So are tomatoes healthy? For most people they are an easy, nutrient-rich vegetable to eat often, with two practical caveats: canned sauces and juices can be high in sodium, and some people with reflux find acidic foods bother them. Below you will find tomato nutrition per serving, how lycopene in tomatoes changes with cooking, and the old question of whether a tomato is a fruit.

Peptide Labs does not sell tomatoes or tomato products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, take medicines or follow a diet set by your care team, ask your clinician before changing what you eat.

Tomato nutrition per medium tomato

The figures below come from the USDA SR Legacy entry for red, ripe, raw tomatoes (year-round average, FDC 170457), scaled to one medium tomato of 123 grams. The %DV column uses FDA Daily Values. There is no Daily Value for lycopene, so that row shows the amount only.

About 94.5% of a raw tomato’s weight is water in USDA data, which is why the calorie count stays so low. A cup of cherry tomatoes (149 grams) lands close to a medium tomato at about 27 calories and 1.8 grams of fiber. For context on how tomatoes compare with other produce, see our guides to vitamin C foods, potassium foods and beta-carotene, which red tomatoes also contain.

Lycopene in tomatoes: raw, cooked and canned

Lycopene is the carotenoid that makes ripe tomatoes red. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, about 80% of the lycopene Americans eat comes from tomatoes and tomato products, and heating tomatoes in oil substantially improves how much the body can absorb, because carotenoids are taken up with fat in a meal. Lycopene has no vitamin A activity and no official intake recommendation. Our lycopene guide covers the research and what the FDA concluded.

Two patterns stand out. First, removing water concentrates lycopene: a single tablespoon of paste holds more than a whole medium raw tomato. Sun-dried tomatoes rank second only to tomato powder for lycopene per 100 grams among tomato entries in SR Legacy, though a cup of them also brings 139 calories and about 20 grams of sugars in USDA data. Second, salt varies widely. A cup of canned tomato juice with salt added has 615 milligrams of sodium in USDA data versus 24 milligrams for the no-salt-added version, with the same lycopene. If you watch sodium, compare labels; our low-sodium foods guide explains how.

What about green, yellow and orange tomatoes?

Color matters for lycopene. USDA lists zero lycopene for raw green tomatoes, which are simply unripe, although they do contain vitamin C. For yellow and orange raw tomatoes, SR Legacy reports no lycopene value at all, so we cannot give a number. The orange entry does list vitamin A activity, while the yellow entry lists none.

Are tomatoes healthy? What the evidence supports

Tomatoes fit the general advice to eat a variety of vegetables. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 place tomatoes and 100% tomato juice in the red and orange vegetable subgroup, alongside carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers. Their strengths are clear from the data: few calories, some fiber, vitamin C, potassium and carotenoids, and they are easy to eat raw, cooked or canned.

Claims that tomatoes or lycopene ward off specific diseases go further than the evidence. Most research on tomatoes and lycopene is observational, which cannot show cause and effect. FDA’s list of qualified health claims includes two November 2005 letters about tomatoes and cancer petitions, and the details belong in our lycopene article rather than a food overview. The fair summary: tomatoes are a nutritious food, not a medicine.

Who may want to be careful

• Reflux: NIDDK lists acidic foods such as citrus fruits and tomatoes among foods commonly linked to GERD symptoms. If tomato sauce triggers heartburn, talk with your doctor; our heartburn guide and bland diet guide cover related eating patterns.
• Sodium limits: canned sauces, soups and juices with added salt can add up quickly; no-salt-added products are widely sold.
• Potassium limits: people told by a clinician to limit potassium, for example because of kidney disease, should ask how tomato foods fit, since concentrated sauce and paste are richer sources.
• Nightshade concerns: tomatoes belong to the nightshade family. Our nightshade guide looks at what the research does and does not show.
• Allergy: tomatoes are not one of the nine major food allergens under US law, but any food can cause a reaction in some people.

Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

Both answers are correct, depending on who is asking. Botanically, a tomato is a fruit because it develops from the flower and holds the seeds. In 1893 the US Supreme Court, in Nix v. Hedden, had to decide whether imported tomatoes fell under a tariff on vegetables. The justices agreed that “botanically speaking, tomatoes are the fruit of a vine” but ruled that in common language and use they are vegetables, served with the main part of a meal rather than as dessert. Nutrition guidance follows the same kitchen logic, which is why tomatoes count toward vegetables.

Ways to eat tomatoes

Ripe tomatoes keep their flavor at room temperature and are easy to add to salads, sandwiches and eggs. Canned whole or diced tomatoes are a reliable base for soups, stews, beans and lentils all year. A spoonful of paste deepens the flavor of a sauce. Cooking tomatoes with a little olive oil is a classic pairing that also helps lycopene absorption; see our olive oil guide. Tomatoes also pair well with corn in salsas and summer salads; our corn guide covers that ingredient.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

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