Don’t avoid carotenoids!
Every Sunday back in Canada my mum made a roast dinner with generous portions of carrots, parsnips and sweet potato mash, topped with crushed chestnuts and zucchini fritters. For dessert we had Mum's amazing Pumpkin and Maple Pie. Unknowingly, every weekend we were topping up on our carotenoids - a family of plant compounds that are essential to human health and which are best known for the red, orange and yellow colouration they give to many fruits and vegetables. Autumn is a wonderful time of the year to treat yourself to all the carotenoid-rich seasonal produce available in the UK. So let's take a closer look at why carotenoids are so important, which foods contain them, and what recipes will allow you to serve up delicious, carotenoid-friendly meals.
What are carotenoids?
Carotenoids are one of the many different phytonutrients - naturally occurring chemicals produced by plants. 'Phyto' is derived from the Greek for plant, but is aptly named due to the ability of these chemicals to fight illness. Carotenoids are converted in the body into water-soluble Vitamin A, itself a powerful disease-fighting antioxidant.
Different kinds of carotenoids
There are over 600 different carotenoids, each with a unique chemical composition. The best known of the carotenoids are:
Alpha-Carotene - found in carrots, coriander and green beans.
Beta-Carotene - found in apricots, cantaloupe melon and broccoli.
Beta-Cryptoxanthin - found in persimmon (Sharon fruit), papaya and tangerines.
Capsaicin - found in chilli, sweet red bell and jalapeno peppers.
Lycopene - found in tomatoes, guava and watermelon.
Lutein - found in turnip, kale and spinach.
Zeaxanthin - a strong yellow pigment found in fruits and vegetables.
Anti-cancer effects of carotenoids
I always advise people to eat a wide variety of different healthy ingredients in order to give ourselves the wide variety of different nutrients we need for optimum health. This applies to carotenoids as well, as some are believed to be more potent than others. Many carotenoids have been found to inhibit cancer development, but this inhibition is reversible, meaning that stopping a diet rich in carotenoids may cause the cancer to grow again. The way that carotenoids inhibit cancer growth is related to their ability to improve inter-cellular 'communication' by increasing the production of a protein (connexion 43, C43) which sits between cells. Cancer cells lack the C43 protein, which means they also lack a vital growth control system. A diet rich in carotenoids can help return the situation to normal, especially when combined with selenium - a constituent mineral of C43 found in brown rice, fish and Brazil nuts.
Cancer research and carotenoids
There's a great deal of research into the effects of carotenoids. Here are the findings of three pieces of research:
Shhwartz and Shklar at Harvard University studied the ability of carotenoids to inhibit tumour growth in breast, lung, oral and skin tissue. They found a positive response to treatment within 1 to 5 hours.
Chen and colleagues at the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine found that low plasma levels of antioxidants were related to increased mortality rates. Beta-carotene was found to be particularly effective against stomach cancer.
Stahelin and colleagues from the University of Basel researched the role of a number of antioxidants, including carotene in 3000 men over a period of 15 years. They found that there was an increase in cancers of the stomach and bronchus in subjects with low plasma levels of carotene.
My top carotenoid foods
These top 5 are packed with carotenoids and easy to incorporate into everyone's busy lifestyles.
Sweet Potato I adore sweet potatoes. They're rich in beta carotene, potassium and vitamin C, and are so versatile and easy to incorporate into your diet. I add them to soups and casseroles, or mash them then dust with nutmeg. But my absolute favourite is a jacket sweet potato with a healthy topping such as free range coronation chicken with chopped apricots.
Pumpkin is a great source of beta carotene and vitamin E. It's easily digested and rarely causes allergies, making it a perfect first food for a baby. The seeds (rich in iron, zinc and magnesium) can also be used if you wash them, coat with seasoning, then roast them in the oven. This warming pumpkin soup is perfect in the winter months. In summer you can serve it cold in a glass, topped with a coconut milk swirl.
Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene and fibre. Research suggests that due to the tough cell walls of a carrot, 25% more beta carotene can be absorbed when cooked. Carrots are inexpensive and easy to add to most dishes like soups, casseroles and salads.
Apricots Fresh and dried apricots are a rich source of beta carotene, iron and fibre. I adore fresh, ripe apricots and I always take dried apricots for plane journeys as they're fantastically chewy for take-off and landings (better than gum!) Try this really simple salsa that can be mixed together quickly for a colourful compliment to any meal.
Mangoes are a rich source of beta carotene and Vitamin C. These juicy, messy, silky, fleshy fruits are best eaten over the sink, chopped and made into smoothies, or added to salads and chutneys. Try this simple smoothie recipe. It can be served in a tall glass or frozen into ice-lolly moulds for a(n)ice treat!
To read the full article with additional research references pick up a copy of ICON magazine from Cancer Active.
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