The bright red fruit originated in Vietnam and Southeast Asia and has 70 times the antioxidant lycopene content as a tomato by unit weight.
Lycopene is found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables like red peppers and papayas, and some studies have connected the carotenoid to lower risk of heart disease, cancer and macular degeneration. But because most of those studies involved tomato consumption, it’s not clear whether lycopene, or some other nutrients found in tomatoes, are responsible for the health benefits.