Contents
Beta-carotene may be not strange for everyone, which is considered a carotenoid, a group of plant pigments with powerful antioxidant effects. The substance is considered as a form of vitamin A itself and especially it is quickly converted into vitamin A for the health. And when vitamin A plays the main role for the strong immunity, the eye, and general health, beta-carotene also supplies these benefits.
Many benefits of beta-carotene depend on its antioxidant properties that effectively help protect the cell against damage. People can get this substance from a wide range of fruits and vegetables and this also supplies them with vitamins and minerals essential for the overall function. It can be also mentioned the benefits of this substance for the brain, cardiovascular health, respiratory system, hair, and skin.
Now, VKool.com would like to show you 15 noticeable health and beauty benefits of beta-carotene. All of the mentioned benefits of beta-carotene may explain how important the substance is and why people should consume foods rich in the substance in the daily diet. For those who don’t know or wonder what the benefits of beta-cảotene, just spend a few minutes reading the article to have more information!
Health & Beauty Benefits of Carrot, Carrot Juice & Carrot Oil / Best Anti-Cancer Foods within Your Reach
15 Noticeable Health And Beauty Benefits Of Beta-Carotene
1. Benefits Of Beta-Carotene – Powerful Antioxidant Activity
The benefits of beta-carotene for health are mainly contributed by its powerful antioxidant activity that is able to prevent the risks of chronic disease. More clearly, this antioxidant property helps protect the body against harmful free radicals, the main cause of degeneration and aging.
In fact, some studies have been conducted to consider the relationship between the presence of dietary carotenoids or blood carotenoid and the development of cancers in the human body and they have said that carotenoids are really effective. However, the efficiency just occurs when you take in a proper level of beta-carotene and the high doses can cause adverse effects on people who smoke or those who have suffered from asbestos.
In addition, the consumption of foods high in beta-carotene, as well as other antioxidants, can also lower inflammation and fight against oxidative stress in the body [1].
2. Prevents Cancer
Preventing the risks of chronic diseases including cancer is one of the benefits of beta-carotene for the health. The reason is that this substance owns a powerful antioxidant capacity as mentioned above. In addition, beta-carotene can help maintain the cells in proper communication, which in turn prevents the growth of cancerous cells in the body. For example, the consumption of beta-carotene from foods can lower the risks of cancers associated with the breast, lungs, colon, and oral cavity.
A typical example for the effectiveness of beta-carotene in cancer prevention is that the substance is associated with lung cancer indeed. It was the study of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in 2024 that the intake of beta-carotene can decrease the risks of lung cancer [2]
And Cancer Society also recommended to consuming foods rich in beta-carotene as a way to restrict lung cancer in cigarette smokers [3].
3. Support Cardiovascular Health
Supporting the cardiovascular health is another of the benefits of beta- carotene for health. It has been indicated that a diet rich in this substance can help lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases significantly. More clearly, beta- carotene, in combination with vitamin E, helps reduce the effects of LDL cholesterol (low- density lipoprotein), a bad cholesterol in the body, and lower the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease [4].
According to a study of the University of Maryland and Medical Center, beta-carotene can prevent the risks of heart diseases effectively [5].
4. Benefits Of Beta-Carotene – Prevents Diabetes
While diabetes is becoming more and more popular, maintaining a healthy diet is the most effective way to prevent the occurrence of the disorder. And it is highly recommended to consume foods rich in beta-carotene because an adequate level of this substance in the body can help deal with impaired glucose tolerance as well as diabetes indeed.
See more: Reverse Diabetes Now Review – Can Matt’s Book Be Helpful?
5. Benefits Of Beta-Carotene – Improve Respiratory Health
Improving respiratory health is one of the important benefits of beta-carotene for health. According to a research before, the consumption of fruits high in beta-carotene helps improve the respiratory and pulmonary function. More clearly, people who ate this kind of fruit much helped reduce some certain respiratory symptoms like phlegm production, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
Moreover, the high intake of this substance can help increase the lung capacity and deal with respiratory ailments, which partly prevents the development of some breathing disorders including bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. There are some kinds of fruits high in beta-carotene and effectively fighting respiratory conditions like papaya, mango, and cantaloupe.
Read more: How to Keep the Respiratory System Healthy
6. Strengthen Immune System
The benefits of beta-carotene also include the ability to improve the immune system. The reason is that this substance can activate the thymus gland that is considered an important source of immune protection. More clearly, this thymus gland facilitates your immune system to deal with viruses and infections thereby destroying cancerous cells before spreading and affecting other healthy ones in the body.
7. Prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis
You should know that the deficiency of beta- carotene or vitamin C in the body is one of the causes for rheumatoid arthritis. This is the reason why everyone should consume this substance at an adequate level to prevent the development of the disease.
8. Treat Oral Leukoplakia
Treating oral leukoplakia is also one of the most important benefits of beta-carotene for health. In fact, Oral leukoplakia is caused by the long use of alcohol or smoking when there are white lesions appearing in the mouth and tongue. There is some research conducted to consider the relation between beta-carotene and oral leukoplakia characterized by the thickened and white patches forming on the gums and inside the cheeks.
Although leukoplakia patches are benign, they can be also the early signs of cancer, so you should not ignore them. For example, a study conducted on 50 patients with the disease who were given 60mg of beta-carotene per day within 6 months then chosen to continue the treatment or follow placebo therapy within the next 12 months showed that 52% of the patients gave a positive response to treatment indeed. It has been included that beta-carotene serves as an excellent agent to prevent the risks of oral cancer. When leukoplakia is quite a dangerous disease, you should consult a physician before using beta-carotene supplements for its treatment.
9. Benefits Of Beta-Carotene – Boost Brain Health
Boosting the brain health is also one of the benefits of beta-carotene for health. The reason is that this substance is really effective in preventing the occurrence of cognitive aging. In addition, it can also fight against oxidative stress causing damage to the brain cells over time, which in turn reduces the risk of dementia.
10. Support Healthy Pregnancy
Supporting a healthy pregnancy is also one of the benefits of beta-carotene for health. It has been said that vitamin A is one of the most important vitamins during pregnancy and breastfeeding periods. The reason is that this vitamin A can facilitate the healthy development of a fetus and also the newborn with healthy lung development and maturation. Vitamin A is also necessary for infants and toddlers because it helps them build a strong immune system indeed.
According to a research before, a pregnant woman needs a 40% increase and a breastfeeding woman needs a 90% increase in the vitamin A intake. Instead of taking in vitamin A supplements, you should consume foods rich in beta-carotene that is quickly converted into vitamin A from yellow and orange vegetables and fruits as the safest way. Otherwise, you should follow the instruction of your health care provider to be aware of right doses.
See more: Good and healthy nutrition during pregnancy to keep in mind
11. Benefits Of Beta-carotene For Skin
Not only does beta-carotene support the external health but it is also beneficial in boosting the external health including for the skin and hair. The reason is that Beta carotene can be quickly converted into vitamin A that plays a very important role in maintaining the healthy skin. The benefits of beta-carotene for skin include the ability to make the skin healthy glow, protect against sun damages, and prevent some skin disorder as listed below:
Firstly, beta-carotene can make your skin look healthy glow. Being a powerful antioxidant, Beta- carotene can protect the skin against premature aging signs and oxygen damages caused by pollution, smoking, UV light, and other environmental hazards. It is highly recommended to consuming an adequate amount of beta- carotene as a natural way to impart a glow to your skin making it more beautiful and attractive. However, the over-consumption of this substance can cause the pumpkin yellow color into your hand palms, your feet soles, your nose, and also your eyes.
Secondly, beta-carotene can protect the skin against harmful damages of the sunlight. The high intake of beta-carotene makes your skin stronger to stay away from the sun damages. It has been indicated that the substance is beneficial in preventing the formation of erythema, redness, and skin irritation caused by UV. Hence, it is particularly suitable for those who have erythropoietic protoporphyria that is considered a rare genetic condition resulting in painful sun sensitivity and also liver problems. Although beta-carotene can’t be compared or substituted to sunscreen, it can boost the efficiency of sunscreen indeed. You should consume about 90 to 180mg of the substance a day to reduce sunburn and supply an SPF 4 for your skin. In brief, the consumption of foods containing beta-carotene in combination with sunscreen may give the best skin protection.
Thirdly, beta-carotene can treat scleroderma, a connective tissue disorder with hardened skin. In fact, the disorder is caused by the low levels of this substance in the blood, so foods rich in beta- carotene or supplements are considered helpful for those with scleroderma. Ì you are going to take in more beta-carotene as a way to deal with the disorder, you should consult a physician at first.
Finally, the benefits of beta-carotene for skin include the ability to treat some other skin conditions like dry skin, psoriasis, and eczema. Beta-carotene or any other antioxidants are directly related to the growth and repair of the tissues protecting the skin against any possible damages. Especially, it can help treat ulcers, boils, impetigo, carbuncles and remove age spots when applied externally indeed. You can also speed up the healing process of skin cuts, wounds, and lesions.
12. Benefits Of Beta-Carotene – Improve Eye Health
Improving the eye health is considered one of the most important benefits of beta-carotene for health. You may have heard that your eyes always need vitamin A for their proper function and Beta-carotene is also necessary like that. More clearly, beta-carotene helps delay the macular degeneration related to age that causes vision decreased and even severe that causing blindness. With the ability to prevent oxidative stress, antioxidants like beta-carotene are really effective in slowing down the development of macular degeneration symptoms. In other words, the substance plays an important role in the cell degeneration and nerve degeneration in the macula or retina. Apart from beta-carotene, your eyes also need some other nutrients like zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, and other antioxidants to stay healthy, so you should consume many foods rich in these substances, especially vegetables and fruits.
13. Benefits Of Beta-carotene For Hair
There are also some benefits of beta-carotene for the hair you should know. The fact that beta- carotene can be quickly converted into vitamin A, a very important vitamin for the growth of hair cells makes the substance ideal for the hair health. As mentioned above, an adequate level of beta-carotene is appreciated but the over-consumption is refused because this can cause unexpected hair loss. The benefits of beta- carotene for hair consist of 2 main things.
The first thing is that beta-carotene can prevent dandruff and some other hair problems. More clearly, it helps prevent dry, dull, and lifeless hair as well as dry scalp that in turn cause dandruff. So, the consumption of beta-carotene- rich foods is really inevitable for the prevention of these conditions.
Secondly, beta-carotene can boost the hair growth. While hair thinning, particularly in females, is caused by the poor nutrition, you should supply it with enough vitamins and minerals including vitamin A to strengthen its health. It has been recommended for those with hair loss to consume an adequate level of beta-carotene to deal with hair loss and stimulate hair growth.
14. Benefits Of Beta-Carotene – The Best Beta-carotene Intake
Although there are many benefits of beta-carotene for health, the intake of this substance should be also limited similar to other nutrients to prevent unexpected side effects. In fact, there is no specific recommended dietary allowance for beta-carotene but the one for vitamin A is available. Anyways, each person is advised to take in a dose of 15 and 180mg of beta-carotene a day and should avoid the upper intake level because this is dangerous during a long term.
In combination with beta-carotene, you should take in foods containing carotenoids like lutein, lycopene, carotenes, and zeaxanthine to get the best advantage for health, which means you need to consume a wide range of vegetables and fruits.
15. Sources Of Beta-carotene
You can find it easy to catch up with the foods rich in beta-carotene indeed, so you should take in those natural foods instead of available supplement on the market. If you want to get the benefits of beta-carotene for health, you can pay attention to some kinds of vegetables and fruits with the amount of this substance as follows:
- Carrot juice: 22mg/ cup
- Pumpkin: 17mg/ cup
- Spinach: 13.8mg/ cup
- Carrots: 13mg/ cup
- Sweet potato: 13mg
- Collard greens: 11.6mg/ cup
- Kale: 11.5mg/ 1 cup
- Turnip greens: 10.6mg/ cup
- Winter squash: 5.7mg/ cup
- Dandelion greens: 4.1mg/ cup
- Cantaloupe: 3.2mg/ cup
- Apricot: 1.6mg/ cup
- Mango: 0.7mg/ cup
Recommended articles:
List of Most Nutrient Dense Foods on The Planet
Healthiest Fruits and Vegetables in the World to Eat & Juice
After reading the article on 15 noticeable health and beauty benefits of beta-carotene in our main Health page, hope that you can know how beneficial the substance is. Not only does it support the internal health but it also boosts the appearance, so everybody should include it in the normal routine. Please let us know if you have any question by leaving them below and share with us other health benefits of beta-carotene if you know more.
Want More Content Like This In Your Inbox?
- How to cure endometriosis pain naturally – 8 tips
- List Of Good And Bad Foods For Depression And Anxiety
- How to prevent heart attack naturally at home – 10 useful tips
- Top 10 Natural Home Remedies For Mange In Dogs
- Stop The Ringing Review – Is Geoff Barker’s Tinnitus Cure Useful?
- 12 home remedies for ear congestion in adults
- Top 11 Health Benefits Of Durian
- 20 Natural Healing Herbs And Spices Recipes And Uses