|
Sponsored Links
Carotenoids are organic pigments that are naturally occurring in chromoplasts of plants and some other photosynthetic organisms like algae, some types of fungus and some bacteria. There are over 600 known carotenoids; they are split into two classes, xanthophylls and carotenes. They absorb blue light. Carotenoids serve two key roles in plants and algae they absorb light energy for use in photosynthesis, and they protect chlorophyll from photodamage.[1] In humans, carotenoids such as beta-carotene are a precursor to vitamin A, a pigment essential for good vision, and carotenoids can also act as antioxidants. People consuming diets rich in carotenoids from natural foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are healthier and have lower mortality from a number of chronic illnesses. However, a recent meta-analysis of 68 reliable antioxidant supplementation experiments involving a total of 232,606 individuals concluded that consuming additional beta-carotene from supplements is unlikely to be beneficial and may actually be harmful.[2] Since most carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables are low in lipids and since dietary lipids have been hypothesized to be an important factor for carotenoid bioavailability, a 2005 study investigated whether addition of avocado fruit or oil, as lipid sources, would enhance carotenoid absorption in humans. The study found that the addition of both avocado fruit and oil significantly enhanced the subjects' absorption of all carotenoids tested (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein).[3] Carotenoids belong to the category of tetraterpenoids (i.e. they contain 40 carbon atoms). Structurally they are in the form of a polyene chain which is sometimes terminated by rings. Probably the most well-known carotenoid is the one that gives this second group its name, carotene, found in carrots (also apricots) and responsible for their bright orange colour. Crude palm oil, however, is the richest source of carotenoids in nature[4].
|
Carotenoid Subcategories
Carotenoid Articles
Antioxidant Health Supplement
by Vincent
Oct 09, 2006
Antioxidant health supplement is a term that generates reams of paper both favorable and unfavorable as confused consumers read on and on trying to decide who is right. No one can say for sure about most of these because they are not regulated by...
Antioxidant Health Supplement
by vincent platania
Oct 06, 2006
Antioxidant health supplement is a term that generates reams of paper both favorable and unfavorable as confused consumers read on and on trying to decide who is right. No one can say for sure about most of these because they are not regulated by th...
|
|
