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Tomatoes are incredibly rich in micronutrients and countless beneficial plant compounds with antioxidant properties, such as lycopene. That has led some athletes to take lycopene supplements in an attempt to aid recovery from exercise, but a new study comparing lycopene supplements with tomato powder shows the powdered form is best for improved antioxidant capacity and reduced oxidative stress.6 That suggests there’s a synergistic interaction of lycopene with other bioactive nutrients in tomatoes, which isn’t replicated by taking lycopene supplements in isolation.