What is Beta-Carotene?
Beta-carotene is an organic compound and a fat-soluble vitamin. Along with giving carrots, sweet potatoes, and other foods their orange color, beta-carotene provides a non-toxic way for people to satisfy their need for vitamin A. Large amounts of vitamin A can be toxic if taken over a lengthy period of time, but when a person takes beta-carotene supplements or eats the right fruits and vegetables, the body converts only what it needs into vitamin A to fulfill its daily requirement.
What are the health benefits of Beta-Carotene?
Traditional Chinese medicine teaches us that beta-carotene is a helpful tool for many conditions, including low immune function, allergies, macular degeneration, and high blood pressure. It is also used to assist bone formation, gastrointestinal health, and healthy skin.
What foods are good sources of Beta-Carotene?
Foods that contain beta-carotene include orange-colored foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, pumpkin, winter squash, mangoes, and apricots, as well as goji berries, spinach, kale, chard, dandelion greens, and broccoli. Because beta-carotene is fat-soluble, it is typically recommended for one to accompany their intake of this nutrient with sources of fat.
Are there any precautions for taking Beta-Carotene?
It has been documented that people who take ten times the Reference Daily Intake have an increased chance of contracting lung or prostate cancer.
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