10 Foods Rich in Beta Carotene

Foods Rich in Beta-carotene that many people are unaware of but which are of great importance for the overall health of the body. Additionally, Beta- carotene , a type of fat-soluble carotenoid source, is also known as “provitamin A” because the body converts it to Vitamin A. Beta – carotene is the source of the orange and yellow coloring in fruits and vegetables, and is also found in green and red fruits and vegetables, and in some grains and oils. Every 12 micrograms of Beta- carotene in your vegetable and fruit diet can be converted in your body to an average of 1 microgram of Vitamin A , or retinol of equivalent activity, RAE.

The 10 Foods Rich in Beta Carotene:

• Sweet potato
• Carrot
• Bean sprouts
• Grape leaf
• moringa
• Green cabbage
• Spinach

However, exact amounts vary from person to person. In the cells of the small intestine and liver, Beta- carotene is split in half to form a retina. The retina can then be converted to retinol or retinoic acid, all of which are active forms of Vitamin A. The retina helps transmit visual information from your eyes to your brain; Retinol is important for the health of your skin and reproductive system; And retinoic acid is a hormone that regulates gene expression and protein synthesis.

1. Sweet Potatoes:  If you expected to see carrots at the top of this list of the best dietary sources of beta- carotene, get ready for a surprise: sweet potatoes top carrots  in terms of beta- carotene content! That is, as long as you go for the variety with dark orange meat. In a study published in the journal Food Chemistry, sweet potatoes with intense orange flesh found up to 226 micrograms of beta- carotene per 1 gram (based on fresh weight). In varieties with lighter orange flesh, however, the amount of beta- carotene was significantly lower, ranging from 11.8 mcg/g to 29.8 mcg/g.

2. Grape Leaf:  Did you know that grape leaves are edible nutritious? That’s right. Whether freshly plucked from vines or canned, grape leaves can provide your body with a wide range of nutrients, including Beta- carotene . According to USDA data, eating 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of raw grape leaves will provide a whopping 16.1 milligrams of Beta- carotene .

3.  Bean Sprouts:  In recent years, microgreens, the young seedlings of vegetables and herbs that are harvested and eaten when they are just a few inches tall, have become popular with chefs and foodies alike because they make an attractive garnish on salads and soups. But these miniature vegetables aren’t just beautiful, they’re also loaded with nutrients like Beta- carotene . In fact, some microgreens, such as red sorrel, coriander, red cabbage, green basil, amaranth granite, and wasabi microgreens — have been shown to contain even more beta- carotene than raw carrots . To learn more, check out the article on Beta Carotene Content of Microgreens .

4. Carrots:  Carrots are one of the most famous whole food sources of beta- carotene and, in fact, they contain a lot of this vital nutrient. A 100-gram (about 3.5 oz) serving of raw carrots  , for example, provides about 8285 micrograms of Beta -carotene . To improve the bioavailability of beta carotene from carrots , consider cooking the vegetables.

A study that appeared in the December 2003 issue of the European Journal of Nutrition found that people absorbed significantly more beta- carotene from meals that contained boiled and pureed carrots than from meals that contained  chopped and chopped carrots . In another study, published in the May 1998 issue of The Journal of Nutrition, women who ate cooked carrots absorbed three times as much beta- carotene as women who ate raw vegetables.

5. Moringa:  For those unfamiliar with the fourth food on our list of the best dietary sources of beta- carotene , moringa is a nutrient-packed superfood that has been used in Ayurveda, the traditional system of indigenous medicine, for centuries. In western countries, it is now available in many health food stores in the form of freeze-dried morase leaf powder. In addition to containing tons of Iron, Vitamin C , Calcium  and protein, moringa is also high in carotenoids such as Beta- carotene . In fact, some people have claimed that moringa leaves contain more beta- carotene than carrots .; However, more conservative estimates suggest that the beta- carotene content of moringa is around 6700 micrograms per 1 gram of fresh moringa leaves.

6. Kale:  In kale, the orange plant pigment known as Beta-carotene is masked by the presence of green chlorophyll, so it may come as a surprise that this green superfood also contains a lot of Beta- carotene . Just 100 grams of raw kale offers a whopping 5.9 milligrams of beta- carotene , which corresponds to about 70% of the amount of beta- carotene found in a 100-gram serving ofraw carrots (for details, check out the in-depth article on beta carotene content). of cabbage).

When fresh kale is out of season, look for organic kale powder at health food stores. When kale leaves are dried and made into a powder, the water content of the leaves is drastically reduced, which makes kale powder an extremely concentrated source of nutrients such as Beta- carotene .

7. Dandelion:  Not all foods that are high in Beta- carotene can be found at your local supermarket or health food store. Dandelions, for example, are an excellent example of a nutritious, carotenoid-rich food that you won’t be able to find in grocery stores (and yes, dandelion vegetables are edible, as long as you pick them from places that haven’t been eaten). Sprayed with chemicals!). A 100-gram serving of raw dandelion leaves contains about 5.9 milligrams of beta- carotene , which makes them a good source of beta- carotene like kale. To learn more, check out the in-depth article on the carotenoid content of dandelion leaves.

8. Spinach:  A 100-gram serving of raw spinach provides approximately 5.6 milligrams of Beta- carotene . To help your body absorb a good portion of this amount, consider chopping or liquefying your spinach leaves. A study published in the February 1999 issue of The Journal of Nutrition found that the beta carotene in spinach is more bioavailable if the spinach is chopped or liquefied before consumption. Now, that sounds like a great reason to get one of those grinders designed for veggies, or to add some fresh baby spinach to the blender next time you’re making a smoothie!

9. Lettuce:  Skip the poor, nutrient-dense lettuces like the iceberg in favor of healthier lettuce varieties like romaine. Romaine is loaded with a wide range of nutrients, including beta-carotene, vitamin K, folate and vitamin C. To reap the nutritional and health benefits of Romaine, use it in salads or incorporate it into green smoothies. Thanks to its tough leaves, romaine can also be used in French fries – just be careful not to overcook it (a few minutes in a flat-bottomed wok is enough).

10. Fresh Salsa:  When it comes to herbs that pack a punch of beta- carotene, parsley is hard to beat. One hundred grams of fresh parsley contains about 5.1 milligrams of beta- carotene , which is more than half the beta- carotene in 100 grams of carrots . However, most recipes that use parsley only call for a small amount of this leafy herb , so you definitely want to continue eating other beta-carotene-rich foods to get your daily dose of carotenoids.

Other Beta-Carotene Rich Vegetables and Fruits:  The aforementionedvegetables and herbs may top the list of the best complete food sources of Beta- carotene , but there are also a number of other vegetables and some fruits that contain significant amounts of Beta -carotene that you should consider incorporatingup to your diet. Mustard greens, turnips, and collards, for example, provide tons of beta- carotene , as do garden cradle, apricots, and cantaloupe melons.