Carotenoids in Vegetables
Dean A. Kopsell, David E. Kopsell, in Bioactive Foods in Promoting Health, 2010

7 Summary
Dietary guidelines recommend consuming 7–9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, which has been positively associated with reduced chronic disease risk. Specifically, carotenoid compounds in fruits and vegetables provide improved health maintenance. Research demonstrates the antioxidant activity of ß-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene in promoting disease suppression, and their activity is affected by the amount consumed, conditions of the food matrix, intestinal absorption, and biometabolism. Genetic and environmental effects strongly influence carotenoid content in fruits and vegetables. Therefore, current carotenoid enhancement efforts and assessment of carotenoid consumption on human health need to consider many complicated and interrelated factors.