The Power Behind Beta-Carotene
Beta-carotene is known as a “provitamin.” That simply means your body can convert it into an active vitamin – in this case vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for your vision and your immune system. It keeps your lungs, your heart and your kidneys working the way they should. For an added bonus, it also plays a big role in maintaining your looks by protecting your skin from becoming dry and flaky. It even helps maintain strong, healthy hair and nails. You get vitamin A mostly from organ meats (such as liver and kidneys), dairy products and some fruits and vegetables. So if vitamin A is so important, why not just take more of it? Why bother with beta-carotene at all? You certainly can take vitamin A. But in its pure form, too much can be toxic.4 This particular nutrient is stored in your liver and fatty tissue until your body needs it. The problem is, your body doesn’t have a way of closing the door to the “vitamin A warehouse.” That means it will keep storing whatever you consume. Storing too much can become dangerous and lead to overdose. The symptoms of vitamin A overdose include headache, nausea and vomiting. In extreme cases it can lead to death. This can only happen to people consuming massive amounts over a long period. But if you get your vitamin A from beta-carotene, there’s no risk of getting too much. Your body only converts the beta-carotene into vitamin A if it needs it. And if it doesn’t need it, you still get beta-carotene’s powerful antioxidant benefits.How Much Beta-Carotene Do You Need?
In the Physicians Health Study, participants took a 50 mg supplement of beta-carotene every other day. But I think it’s better to get nutrients from your diet. In fact, I don’t recommend a pill. With a little planning, you can get enough beta-carotene out of the 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables you should be eating anyway. A typical serving of cubed, cooked winter squash (about one cup) gives you more than 9 mg of beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes have even more… about 14 mg for one medium potato. And with spring in the air, you’ll need to find other sources of beta-carotene if you prefer to eat your fruits and vegetables in season (which I recommend). Most red, yellow and orange produce has beta-carotene. Carrots are a great option… one cup cooked has 6.5 mg. But many dark green vegetables are also full of beta-carotene. Keep these in mind for the warmer months ahead:- Swiss chard (1 cup cooked) – 6.5 mg
- Collard greens (1 cup cooked) – 8.5 mg
- Spinach (1 cup cooked) – 11 mg
