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| home : how we can help : prevention, screening, & diagnostics : answers to cancer : diet & nutrition
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ß-carotene is the most abundant of the 600 carotenoids that occur in nature. You may have heard of other carotenoids such as alpha carotene, lutein and lycopene. Carotenoids are pigments, which are synthesized by plants, but not by animals. ß-carotene acts as an antioxidant and is the main precursor of vitamin A from plant sources. Vitamin A of course is essential for growth and the normal development and differentiation of tissues. As an anti-oxidant, ß-carotene acts a scavenger by finding and neutralizing free radicals before they cause damage. Free radicals are produced by the very necessary process of cells using oxygen; the damage caused by free radicals can lead to problems such as cancer, heart disease, cataracts, and the deterioration that goes along with aging. There is evidence that eating a diet high in carotenioids protects against cancer in general. Carotenoids are fat-soluble compounds whose absorption in the small intestine varies, increasing with higher fat intake and decreasing with higher carotenoid intake. Even when foods containing carotenoids are ingested in large amounts, they don't appear to be toxic, although very high intakes may cause the skin to become yellow-orange.
If ß-carotene and other carotenoids are protective, wouldn't it be better to just take a supplement and make sure you're getting enough? No, not necessarily. In fact, well-conducted studies using ß-carotene supplements in smokers actually showed a higher incidence of lung cancer. However, there is no evidence to suggest that diets high in ß-carotene increase cancer risk and in fact studies show just the opposite. Much more needs to be learned about the relationship between various food components and cancer risk. ß-carotene and other carotenoids are found in foods with a complex of other micronutrients. It is not exactly clear which nutrient or mixture of nutrients offers protection. Eating a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables is the best way to obtain ß-carotene and other protective nutrients that decrease cancer risk.
ß-carotene is found most abundantly in orange fruits and vegetables, and in dark green leafy vegetables. Rich sources are carrots, sweet potatoes pumpkin, winter squash, cantaloupe, apricots, mangoes, kale, spinach, collard greens, and chicory.
Visit us on Friday for a recipe high in ß-carotene.
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