Colorful Veggies Curb Oxidative Stress

Lending fruits and vegetables their bright orange, red, and yellow colors, carotenoids are abundant in antioxidants, for which previous studies have associated a lower risk of premature death. P. G. Cocate, from the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Brazil),  and colleagues assessed 296 healthy middle-aged man, average age 50.5 years and with body mass index (BMI) of 25.8 kg/m2.  The team tracked each participant’s carotenoid intake (including b-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein plus zeanthin, beta-carotene, and alpha-carotene). Data analysis revealed that total carotenoid intake was inversely associated with lipid and oxidative stress markers, and the study authors note that:"in middle-aged men … [beta]-carotene was negatively associated with five of the six lipid and oxidative stress markers.”