What Are Good Food Sources Of Beta-carotene?

Beta-carotene is a provitamin A carotenoid, the form of vitamin A derived from plants. Several other provitamin A carotenoids exist in nature; examples include alpha-carotene, found in tangerines and winter squash, and beta-cryptoxanthin, found in apricots and peaches. The body requires vitamin A to support a number of functions, including vision, immunity, bone development and the creation of red blood cells. Beta-carotene is the most readily absorbed carotenoid, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Good food sources of beta-carotene include carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach.

Benefits

Research indicates that beta-carotene as multiple health benefits, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. These include reduced sun sensitivity and a lower risk of age-related macular degeneration onset.

Carrots

Carrots contain a good amount of beta-carotene. One cup of carrot juice provides 22 mg beta-carotene, while 1 cup of cooked carrots will net 13 mg. A large raw carrot provides 175 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

Spinach

Spinach is also a good food source of beta-carotene. One cup of raw spinach provides 55 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A. One cup of cooked spinach that has been previously frozen nets 13.8 mg beta-carotene, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.

Root Vegetables

Root vegetables are another good food source of beta-carotene. A medium-sized baked sweet potato provides 13.1 mg beta-carotene, while 1 cup of cooked winter squash contains 5.7 mg.

Tips

Fat enhances your body’s ability to absorb provitamin A carotenoids in the intestines, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. To make sure you get as much beta-carotene as possible from your food sources, eat them with a little bit of fat. For example, eat raw carrots with peanut butter, almond butter, sesame butter, cashew butter or a bit of salad dressing or mayonnaise. Similarly, the beta-carotene in root vegetables will be more readily absorbed if sautéed with olive or canola oil, or baked with a little butter.