Carotenoids for human nutrition and health

Carotenoids are known for their health benefits. They are also natural colouring and stabilizing agents.

Carotenoids are the pigments that give color to egg yolks, tomatoes, fungi, all green leaves, fruits, and flowers. They also occur in crustaceans, certain fish species, feathers and insects. They cannot be made in the body and must be obtained in the diet.

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Sources : Deep yellow/orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, pumpkins, apricots, or mangoes, and dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.

Functions : Beta-Carotene is one of more than 600 carotenoids found in nature. Beta-Carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body, and it is the most important source of provitamin A in food. It is also acts as an antioxidant together with vitamins E and C and may reduce risk of certain chronic diseases. beta-Carotene also plays an important role in protecting skin from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation.
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Sources: Dark green, red and yellow vegetables and fruit such as squash, peas, cabbage, peppers, oranges, kiwi and grapes.

Functions: Lutein is a naturally occuring carotenoid. Of the more than 600 carotenoids found in nature, lutein is one of only two carotenoids specifically located in the macula of the eye. Lutein is a potent antioxidant and is able to filter damaging blue light. There is evidence that lutein may be beneficial for eye health. A large number of epidemiological studies indicate that dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin was statistically linked to a reduced risk of cataracts and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), the two leading causes of visual loss and acquired blindness in the western world. A combination of lutein and zeaxanthin is recommended for eye health applications.
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Sources: Colorful fruits and vegetables, such as corn, oranges, spinach and peppers.

Functions: OPTISHARP™ (Zeaxanthin) is a naturally occuring carotenoid. Of the more than 600 carotenoids found in nature, zeaxanthin is one of only two carotenoids specifically located in the macula of the eye. OPTISHARP™ is the most potent antioxidant carotenoid found in the retina and acts as a filter and shield against the damaging near-to-UV blue light from the sun. Scientific evidence suggests that OPTISHARP™ is beneficial for eye health and may help reduce the risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Cataracts, two leading causes of blindness in the world. OPTISHARP™ cannot be synthesized by humans and must be taken from the diet.
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Sources: Found in tomatoes and a variety of red fruits and vegetables.

Functions: Redivivo™ (Lycopene) is one of six predominant carotenoids occurring in human plasma. It is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes and a variety of red fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help to protect our bodies from free radicals which can cause damage to body cells and contribute to serious illnesses. Several epidemiological studies have associated Redivivo™ with a reduced risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
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Sources: Found especially in edible mushrooms, sea trout, prime shrimps and crustaceans.

Functions: Canthaxanthin is a member of the carotenoid family. Canthaxanthin is a food colour. Canthaxanthin is a very heat stable and light stable food colour which provides vivid red colours.
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Sources: Found in citrus fruits, especially in tangerines, in green vegetables, especially in spinach and in animal tissue.

Functions: Apocarotenal imparts orange to red colour hues to the food it colours. Apocarotenal is a provitamin A carotenoid, like beta-carotene. It has half the vitamin A activity of beta-carotene.
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Sources: In nature apocarotenoic acid is a widely distributed carotenoid, especially in plants, such as citrus fruits, green vegetables, grass, alfalfa etc. Apocarotenoic acid can also be found in egg yolk.

Functions: In the human metabolism apocarotenoic acid is partially converted into vitamin A by oxidation. Thus apocarotenoic ester contributes to the vitamin A supply.The colour shades obtained with apocarotenoic ester in foods range from lemon-yellow to yellow-orange.
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