Carotenoids are pigments found in plants that can be converted into vitamin A when consumed by humans. They also act as antioxidants, protecting against disease. Plants use carotenoids for photosynthesis and coloration. Vitamin A is essential for good health and can be found in foods high in carotenoids, such as carrots and dark leafy greens. Supplements are not as effective as consuming carotenoids through food.
Carotenoids are a beneficial pigment found mostly in plants. When eaten by people, some carotenoids are converted into vitamin A, an essential nutrient for body health. Some carotenoids are converted more efficiently than others, while a whole set of carotenoids are not converted to vitamin A at all and instead act as an antioxidant. The human body is unable to produce vitamin A on its own and requires it to be ingested through various foods. With more than 600 types of naturally occurring carotenoids, not all of them are useful; some can actually be harmful to the body.
The primary function of carotenoids is to supply the body with vitamin A. This is done by converting specific carotenoids into retinol, a type of vitamin A that is highly active in the body. A secondary function of carotenoids is to act as antioxidants and help remove free radicals from the blood, offering some protection against cancer and other diseases.
The function of carotenoids in plants is to assist in the production of vital nutrients related to photosynthesis. As a pigment, it also gives some fruits their red, yellow, or orange coloration. Different types of carotenoids are linked to specific colors; for example, lutein and zeaxanthin create a yellow color, while carotene creates an orange color. Plants and fungi are capable of naturally creating carotene; humans are unable to do that.
Vitamin A, one of the results of carotenoid processing, is a necessary vitamin for good health and proper functioning of the body. A vitamin A deficiency can have a serious effect on vision, causing night blindness, blurred vision, and eventually complete loss of vision. The vitamin is also important in helping the body fight fever and other illnesses.
Attempts to circumvent the dietary intake of carotenoids by instead taking supplements that contain vitamin A are not as effective as eating foods that contain carotenoids. Some think that the function of carotenoids is enhanced by other nutrients contained in foods. While taking a supplement is better than having no carotenoids or vitamin A at all, the vitamin derived from a supplement isn’t always absorbed by the body.
Foods that contain high levels of carotenoids include carrots, dark leafy greens like spinach, and some meats, including liver. Orange foods like sweet potatoes contain carotene which can be efficiently converted into vitamin A. Red foods like tomatoes contain carotenoids like lycopene but are not converted into vitamin A. Instead, they add to the antioxidants in the body that help fight disease like cancer.
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