A recent study discovered that consuming baby carrots as a snack three times per week significantly elevated skin carotenoid levels in young adults. This increase was even more pronounced when the healthy snack was paired with a multivitamin containing beta-carotene. Carotenoids, which give many fruits and vegetables their vibrant red, orange, and yellow hues, can be measured in the skin to assess fruit and vegetable intake, as diet is their sole source. Elevated skin carotenoid levels are linked to enhanced antioxidant protection and a reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and certain cancers. This indicator also signifies better skin health and improved immune function (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Carrots: Rich Supply of Carotenoids
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“Previous studies have demonstrated that skin carotenoid levels can be increased by consuming three times the recommended serving of fruits and vegetables every day for three weeks,” said Mary Harper Simmons, a Master of Science in Nutrition student at Samford University. “Our findings suggest that a small, simple dietary modification — incorporating baby carrots as a snack — can significantly increase skin carotenoid accumulation.”
Baby Carrots and Multivitamins
For the study, the researchers randomly assigned 60 young adults to groups that received a four-week intervention of either Granny Smith apple slices (control), 100 grams (about half a cup) of baby carrots, a multivitamin supplement containing beta carotene, or a combination of baby carrots and the supplement. Before and after the intervention, they used a noninvasive research-grade spectroscopy instrument called a VeggieMeter to detect and quantify carotenoids in the skin of the study participants.
The researchers found that compared to pre-intervention levels, skin carotenoid scores were significantly increased by 10.8% in the group receiving the baby carrots and by 21.6% in the group receiving the carrots and the supplement. Skin carotenoid levels were not changed in the control group or in those receiving only the supplement.
“We found that the combination of baby carrots and a multivitamin supplement that contains beta carotene can have an interactive effect on skin carotenoid accumulation,” said Simmons. “To get a beneficial effect, people should choose a multivitamin that contains beta carotene, and remember to eat baby carrots at least three times a week.”
Since carotenoid accumulation was not increased by multivitamin supplementation alone there could be differences in how carotenoids are absorbed, depending on whether they are from food or supplements. The researchers would like to explore the mechanism behind these findings and study the effects of other carotenoid-rich foods, such as sweet potato or green leafy vegetables.
Reference:
- Carrots: Rich Supply of Carotenoids – (https://www.aicr.org/cancer-prevention/food-facts/carrots/)
Source-Eurekalert
