What is a carotenoid?
A carotenoid is a type of pigment. (2)
A carotenoid is a type of phytochemical. (3)
A carotenoid is a type of fat-soluble chemical compound. (2)
A carotenoid is a type of antioxidant. (2)
Carotenoids are also known as tetraterpenoids. (4)
Cartotenoids are pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, and fungi. (4)
What do carotenoids do?
Carotenoids produce the bright yellow, red, and orange colors in plants, vegetables, and fruits. (2,3)
Carotenoids act as a type of antioxidant for humans. (2)
help protect from disease (2)
can enhance immune system (2)
have antioxidant properties (3)
contribute to sharp vision and healthy cognitive function (3)
absorb the wavelengths ranging from 400 to 5500 nanometers (violet to green light). This causes the compounds to be deeply colored yellow, orange, or red. (4)
Cartenoids absorb light energy for use in photosynthesis, and they provide photoprotection via non-photochemical quenching. (4)
What are types of carotenoids?
there are over 1,100 known carotenoids. (4)
Two classes of carotenoids are:
xanthophylls (1)
carotenes (1)
alpha carotene (2)
beta carotene (2)
beta cryptoxanthin (2)
lycopene (2)
What do carotenoids contain?
some carotenoids contain unsubstituted beta-ionone rings (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, gamma-carotene) (4)
Where are carotenoids found?
stored in the fatty tissues of animals, and exclusively carnivorous animals obtain the compounds from animal fat. (4)
What foods contain carotenoids?
plants (2)
algae (2)
photosynthetic bacteria (2)
yams (2)
kale (2)
spinach (2)
watermelon (2)
cantaloupe (2)
bell peppers (2)
tomatoes (2, 3, 4)
carrots (2,4)
mangoes (2)
oranges (2)
pumpkin (3,4)
parsnips (4)
corn (4)
canaries (4)
flamingos (4)
salmon (4)
lobster (4)
shrimp (4)
daffodils (4)
What do cartenoids look like?
yellow, orange, and red
How are carotenoids produced?
can be produced from fats and other basic organic metabolic building blocks by plants, algae, as well as several bacteria, and fungi. (4)
produced by endosymbiotic bacteria in whiteflies (4)
Carotenoids and Humans
A human can consume carotenoids through the diet. (2)
How can carotenoids be absorbed better?
Carotenoids are best absorbed through a source of fat. (2, 4)
Cooking and chopping carotenoid-rich foods increase the strength of the nutrients when they enter the bloodstream. (2)
cooking carotenoid-containing vegetables in oil and shredding the vegetable both increase carotenoid bioavailability (4)
Resources
1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lutein#what-it-is
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/carotenoids
3. https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/diet-nutrition/phytochemicals-types-benefits
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotenoid
