Description
Carotenoids, from the Latin Daucus carota, are natural orange or yellow fat-soluble pigments found in plants, fruits, vegetables, animals and humans.
They are used in nature to colour the plumage of certain birds (e.g. pink flamingos) or to protect chlorophyll in plants from oxidation and participate in photosynthesis.
Contrary to popular belief, carotenoids are not only found in oranges and carrots.
They are also found in green plants and vegetables.
600 different carotenoids have been identified.
Of these, about forty fill our plates every day and about twenty circulate in our blood and tissues.
The main ones are: lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, and alpha-carotene.
Indications
Carotenoids help eliminate toxic cells that damage the body's overall health.
Carotenoids are also valuable allies for the skin and eyes, helping to regulate UV absorption and neutralise free radicals.
Properties
Carotenoids are essential precursors of vitamin A, whose beneficial effects were recognised long ago.
They would act as antioxidants against free radicals and singlet oxygen.
They would also intervene in the regulation of the body's natural defences.
Vitamin A is essential for the body's well-being.
It is involved in tissue renewal, cell growth and regulation, and the protection of the body's natural defences.
It therefore acts effectively against all degenerative conditions.
The antioxidant action of carotenoids helps the body to transform free radicals into less harmful radicals until they are completely eliminated.
In this way, reactive oxygen, which is extremely harmful to the body, is transformed into superoxide oxygen and, under the action of enzymes, into hydrogen peroxide, which is then broken down into water and oxygen.
The oxygen thus produced is used to facilitate cellular respiration.
The antioxidant action of carotenoids would therefore help the body to protect itself against the harmful effects of all free radicals, such as UV rays in the case of prolonged exposure to the sun, by helping the body to synthesise melanin, which is essential for reflecting or absorbing solar radiation and allowing the skin to tan.
Lutein and zeaxanthin, the main antioxidants, help protect the eyes from these UV rays by filtering sunlight.
As a result, they help protect the retina.
Sources
Carotenoids are only synthesised by plants and certain micro-organisms.
Humans must therefore obtain them from food or dietary supplements.
Eighty per cent of carotenoid intake comes from beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene.
Although the recommended daily intake of carotenoids has not yet been established, some studies estimate that the required daily intake of beta-carotene is 6 mg, while our current diet provides only 1.5 mg.
Beta-carotene is mainly found in carrots, apricots, melon, green vegetables and pumpkin.
As for the dietary intake of lutein, it would be 2.5 mg per day, whereas it should be 6 mg.
Lutein, like zeaxanthin, is mainly found in spinach, kale, parsley, broccoli, lettuce, peas, green beans, Brussels sprouts and corn.
Tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit and papaya are the main sources of lycopene.
The recommended intake of vitamin A is 800 ER (retinol equivalent: 6µ of beta-carotene has the same vitamin activity as 1µg of retinol, i.e. 1µ ER).
Vitamin A is very present in cod liver oil, liver, foie gras, oily fish, butter, egg yolk, kidneys, cheese, carrots, chervil, apricots, spinach, pumpkin, corn salad, red peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, melon, mango, papaya, plums...
NB: The bioavailability of fruit and vegetables varies depending on how they are prepared (eaten raw or cooked), the season and their origin.
Contraindication
No contraindications have been reported.