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Carotenoids, found in colorful fruits and vegetables, act as antioxidants and can be converted into essential vitamins. They may increase immunity, reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, and protect against cataracts and macular degeneration. It is recommended to consume them through a healthy diet rather than supplements.
Carotenoids are chemical substances that have nutritional properties and that exist in the pigment that colors plants and animals. As fat-soluble materials, humans ingest the carotenoids in countless colorful fruits and vegetables. They are important as antioxidants and for their ability to be converted into essential vitamins. Many health experts say that people should get carotenoids by eating fresh fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet, rather than taking supplements, because they are easier for the human body to use when ingested in natural foods.
Found in colorful foods
The different carotenoids are related to their manifest colors. Two of the general categories are carotenes and xanthophylls, with carotenes present in yellow vegetables and xanthophylls in green vegetables. Beta-carotene, an essential nutrient that the human body converts to vitamin A, is present in orange carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash. Another type of carotenoid, lutein, exists in dark green kale, broccoli, yellow egg yolks, and bell peppers. Red tomatoes, apricots, grapefruit, watermelon, and papaya contain another type, called lycopene.
Potential Health Benefits
By acting as antioxidants, carotenoids have been shown to reduce damage caused by certain molecules called free radicals. A generous amount of these chemicals could prevent damage to cells and tissues, as well as genetic damage. This means they could increase a person’s immunity to infection, reduce the risk of cancer, and protect against heart disease.
Potential benefits of beta-carotene are thought to include preventing hardening of the arteries, which is associated with increased risk of heart attack. Beta-carotene also preserves the health of the body’s mucous membranes and the lining of the lungs, which are among the body’s first lines of defense against infection. However, excessive amounts of beta-carotene may increase the risk of osteoporosis or lung cancer in smokers.
Carotenoids might help fight serious infections in people who have compromised immune systems by increasing their white blood cell count. Lycopene has been associated with a reduced incidence of several types of cancer, including prostate cancer, colon cancer, bladder cancer, and lung cancer. Zeaxanthin and lutein are believed to strengthen the eyes and protect against cataracts and macular degeneration. Although some of these connections have not yet been clearly established through scientific studies and research, health experts generally recommend that people consume the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables to reap the full benefits of carotenoids.
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