Benefits of Beta Carotene and How to Get It

Beta carotene plays an important role in your health and eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is the best way to get it into your diet. Beta carotene is a plant pigment that gives red, orange, and yellow vegetables their vibrant color. It is considered a provitamin A carotenoid, meaning that the body can convert it into vitamin A (retinol).Additionally, beta carotene has powerful antioxidant properties.The name is derived from the Latin word for carrot. Beta carotene was discovered by the scientist Heinrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Wackenroder, who crystallized it from carrots in 1831.This article looks at:the benefits of beta carotene which foods contain it how much your body needs possible risks related to beta carotene supplementsShare on PinterestWhat are the benefits?In addition to serving as a dietary source of provitamin A, beta carotene functions as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize unstable molecules called free radicals. When free-radical numbers get t...