What are Carotenoids
Carotenoids are lipid-based vegetable pigments, responsible for capturing light not absorbed by chlorophyll and that present in excess (they act as photoprotective agents).
Carotenoid-rich foods
Very abundant in nature, carotenoids are found a little in all parts of the plant, including fruits, seeds, leaves and roots. Man can thus take them through the regular consumption of plant foods; the pumpkin, carrot, watermelon, bell pepper, tomato, apricot and melon are particularly rich. It is interesting to note that the color of these foods, which covers the various shades of red, orange and yellow, is an irrefutable sign of the pigmenting activity of carotenoids; the same can be appreciated in autumn, when the leaves lose chlorophyll acquiring the yellow-red shades of the residual carotenoids. Not surprisingly, therefore, these nutrients are also well represented in salads, parsley, cabbage and other green leafy vegetables.
Nutritional role
For many years the nutritional importance of carotenoids has been almost exclusively related to the ability to act as precursors of vitamin A (or retinol), a typical substance of the animal kingdom. It is indeed a very important characteristic, typical of some carotenoids and in particular of B-carotene (in this specific case, to supply the organism with 1 mg of retinol it takes about 6 of B-carotene, while for the other carotenoids the ratio is 12: 1). Alpha-carotene, on the other hand, generates vitamin A less easily than the Β form, but has an antioxidant activity greater than 38%; and it is this protective activity that arouses the interest of researchers.
Carotenoids and health
In addition to the provitaminic function, in fact, it is necessary to underline how different carotenoids exert protective effects against various pathologies; all thanks to the neutralization of aggressive substances, the now sadly famous free radicals. These molecules are normally formed in the body, especially in response to stressful events, such as radiation, smoke, pollutants, exposure to UV rays, emotional and physical stress, chemical additives, attacks by viruses and bacteria, etc.
See also: Beta carotene - Lutein
Lycopene, for example, has for years been the subject of numerous researches aimed at studying its anticancer and antioxidant properties (which are 2 times higher than B-carotene). Another carotenoid, lutein, has proved particularly effective in preventing age-related macular degeneration, a retinal disease that can lead to blindness. A diet rich in carotenoids also helps to protect the skin from solar radiation and to determine a more bronze color; not surprisingly, if an individual's diet is excessively rich in carotenoids, the skin can take on a vaguely yellowish color, especially on the palmar and plantar level (in these cases one speaks of carotenosis).
Integrators and Limits
Importance of a Variable and Balanced Diet
At this point many readers may think they have found the key to achieving and maintaining full body health in the carotenoids. But is it really correct to think that a lycopene pill and some lutein are able to protect us from premature aging and cardiovascular diseases, hindering hair loss, the appearance of wrinkles and various "wellness diseases"? Unfortunately, things are not exactly like this, because although the myth of the miracle pill is particularly attractive, it is quite naive to think of reproducing in the laboratory the extraordinary complexity of nutrients present in a vegetable or in a fresh fruit. Of course, a tablet that contains in the right quantities and proportions a mix of vitamins and antioxidant substances can be a valid aid, but it certainly cannot replace the extraordinary complexity of micronutrients contained in certain foods, such as blueberry, grapes, papaya and citrus fruits (just think that in nature there are over 500 types of carotenoids).
The old recommendation to consume a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables every day continues to remain perfectly in line with the latest scientific acquisitions on nutrition and human nutrition.
