Beta Carotene

Ask scientists what foods they would tell you to eat more of and many would say carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, winter squash and cantaloupe. That's because these are among the richest sources of beta carotene, a nutrient believed to protect against cancer and cataracts. Beta carotene is in the news again because it was the focus (along with Vitamins C and E) of an international conference held in London in October.

Getting enough beta carotene in your diet is easier than you might think, and it doesn't even require swallowing countless pills or eating foods that have been fortified with the compound. What is beta carotene and why is it important? A discussion of beta carotene will ultimately end up as a primer on Vitamin A because beta carotene is one of four compounds--carotenoids--which serve as precursors to Vitamin A in the diet.

It has long been known that too much sunbathing can damage and age the skin, and lead to skin cancer. But a new Cornell University study suggests that excessive sun exposure may also make individuals susceptible to other types of cancer by destroying certain nutrients in food. Exposure to ultraviolet light can result in "highly significant reductions" of beta carotene.