What are Carotenoids?

Carotenoids are red, orange, and yellow pigments found in fruits and vegetables. About 600 carotenoids have been identified. All of them have antioxidant properties; some of them can be converted in the body to vitamin A , and these are called “provitamin A” carotenoids.

Some of the most well-known carotenoids are beta-carotene , lutein , lycopene , astaxanthin and zeaxanthin. The results of some but not all observational studies suggest that a diet high in these carotenoids can reduce the risk of developing various illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, age-related vision loss, and various types of cancer. ^{1 2} These findings led to large-scale studies of synthetic beta-carotene for preventing cancer (especially lung cancer), heart disease...