The Benefits of Beta Carotene & Lutein – From Cancer to Macular Degeneration

The Benefits of Beta Carotene & Lutein – From Cancer to Macular Degeneration - Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments responsible for many of the colorful hues of plant leaves, fruits, and flowers.

They also act as biological antioxidants, protecting cells and tissues from damage caused by naturally occurring oxygen free radicals in the body. And they’ve been linked to enhancing immune system function, protecting from sunburn, and inhibiting development of certain cancers.

Beta-carotene and lutein are two important carotenoids. Not only does beta-carotene give carrots their orange color, it may also be an important means of lessening the vitamin A deficiency prevalent in much of the world.

Lutein, a major yellow pigment in corn and leafy green vegetables, is believed to protect the human retina’s macular region, reducing risk of the macular degeneration responsible for the most common age-related blindness.

Using isotopes to tag carotenoids in kale, a food especially rich in nutrients, researchers have increased their understanding of how the human body absorbs and uses carotenoids from a whole food and how efficiently the body uses beta-carotene to form vitamin A.

The work was reported in the Journal of Lipid Research.

Source: USDA, Agricultural Research Service. Beverly A. Clevidence, USDA-ARS Diet and Human Performance Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland; phone (301) 504-8367. Photo courtesy of USDA, Agricultural Research Service. Used with permission.

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