1. Five health functions of β-carotene

Population-based studies show that people who eat four or more daily servings of beta-carotene-rich fruits and vegetables are less likely to develop heart disease or cancer. Interestingly, however, other studies have shown that people who deliberately supplement with beta-carotene are actually more likely to develop such diseases. Researchers believe that a healthy, sensible, nutrient-dense diet will be more effective in fighting cancer and heart disease than beta-carotene alone.

1. Health care for the visual system. The rod cells on the retina contain rhodopsin and have the function of scotopic vision. An appropriate amount of β-carrot can promote the normal content of rhodopsin, thereby avoiding the slow adaptation to the dark field caused by the lack of vitamin A, and also avoiding the damage to the eyes caused by the strong light after the dark field. At the same time, it can also prevent night blindness, dry eye, corneal ulcer and corneal softening;

2. Health care effect on skin tissue. VA is necessary to maintain the integrity of all epithelial tissues, and β-carrot can be converted into VA in the human body. Therefore, taking a certain amount of β-carotene is of great significance for maintaining normal body surface, digestive tract, respiratory tract, reproductive tract, and endocrine tract, and can avoid skin dandruff, keratinization, and hard scales of epidermal cells. Symptoms, hyperkeratotic xeroderma and other skin diseases. In addition, β-carotene also has a good effect on the stability of cell membranes. In addition, beta-carotene can also be used in the treatment of inflammation "sunlight inflammation" caused by sun exposure;

3. Delay aging. β-carotene can improve the activity of red blood cells. Peroxide free radicals can accelerate the aging of the human body, and people vividly call it the "garbage" of the body. And β-carotene can neutralize the peroxide free radicals in the body, which plays a role in delaying aging;

4. Resist bad environment. Those who often work in a dark room, strong light, high temperature or deep water environment, as well as radiation workers, and people who often watch TV, should add β-carotene to resist adverse environments.

5. The treatment is sensitive to the sun. Studies have shown that high doses of beta-carotene can reduce people's sensitivity to the sun, especially for those who have skin diseases caused by sun exposure (such as: erythropoietic protoporphyria, a kind of hives or eczema caused by exposure to sunlight. disease) is especially helpful. Under the appropriate guidance of health professionals, they can supplement beta-carotene in a targeted manner, and their symptoms can gradually improve after about several weeks.

2. Use and dosage of β-carotene

(1) The use of β-carotene

Use 1: Mainly used in food, health products and medicines

Use 2: edible orange pigment; nutrition enhancer. Mainly used in margarine, noodles, cakes, beverages and health food, etc.

Use three: as a nutritional enhancer and food coloring agent. According to the regulations of our country, it can be used in all kinds of food, and it should be used in moderation according to production needs.

Use 4: As feed vitamin nutrition enhancer and coloring agent.

Use five: nutritional supplements and pigments. According to the "Hygienic Standards for the Use of Food Nutritional Fortifiers (1993)" promulgated by the Ministry of Health of my country, it can be used in cream and puffed foods, and the maximum usage is 100%. The physiological effect of 0.6 μg of this product is equivalent to 1 international unit (I·U·) of vitamin A. Now it is widely used as a yellow pigment to replace oil-soluble tar-based pigments, such as cream, cheese, mayonnaise, etc. that originally contained carotene, and is widely used in other edible oils, margarine, shortening, pastry, bread, etc. When used in oily foods, it is often dissolved in edible oils such as cottonseed oil or suspension preparations (content 30%). Even after dilution, it can prevent the oxidation of beta-carotene. Antioxidants such as α-tocopherol, stearoyl ascorbate, and BHA are generally added. It is used as a pigment to add less amount, such as margarine is the best. Combined with vitamin C in fruit juice, it can improve stability.

Use six: medicine. Feed and food additives. Nutritional Supplements and Colors.

(2) The recommended dosage of β-carotene

Beta-carotene supplements usually come in capsule and jelly form. Because beta-carotene is fat-soluble, it should be taken with a meal containing at least 3 grams of fat to ensure they are absorbed.

For children under the age of 14 with erythropoietic protoporphyria, a single or divided oral dose of 30 -150 mg (50,000 -250,000 IU) per day is recommended for 2-6 weeks, and can be taken with orange or tomato juice to facilitate absorption. For patients with sun sensitivity, doctors can adjust the dose according to the level of beta-carotene in their blood.

For the average person, it is recommended to take 15 -50 mg (25,000 -83,000 IU) per day. For adults with erythropoietic protoporphyria, it is recommended to take 30 -300 mg (50,000 -500,000 IU) per day for 2-6 weeks. Health advisors can adjust the dose according to their blood levels of beta-carotene.

3. Anticancer and carcinogenic principles of β-carotene

In many people's perception, β-carotene has anti-cancer effect. In fact, almost all studies involving the relationship between β-carotene and cancer have proved that β-carotene in the diet has a protective effect on cancer. However, some experts have raised objections that β-carotene can also cause cancer. This is quite surprising, what is the truth?

(1) What is β-carotene?

β-carotene (C40H56) is one of the carotenoids and is also an orange-yellow fat-soluble compound. It is the most ubiquitous and stable natural pigment in nature. It is ubiquitous in green vegetables, sweet potatoes, carrots and other natural foods, and is mainly used in food, health products and medicines.

Since β-carotene can be converted into vitamin A after ingestion into the digestive organs of the human body, it has become the safest vitamin A supplement product at present, making up for the defect that simple supplementation of chemically synthesized vitamin A can cause poisoning in excess. The common types of β-carotene products are: crystallization, 30% oil suspension, 10% water-soluble dry powder, 1% water-soluble suspension and special water-soluble powder.

(2) β-carotene anti-cancer principle

Like other carotenoids, beta-carotene is an antioxidant. The excess oxygen free radicals in the human body will cause damage to the cells during the oxidation process. If things go on like this, it may cause the human body to suffer from various chronic diseases. Therefore, the overflow of oxygen free radicals in the body will not only damage normal cells, but also cause cause mutations to form cancer. And β-carotene is the strongest "nemesis" of oxygen free radicals. Eating foods rich in β-carotene can prevent the damage of oxygen free radicals in the body. A large number of scientific research data at home and abroad have also confirmed that adequate intake of β-carotene from the daily diet can reduce the risk of two chronic diseases, namely heart disease and cancer.

(3) Excessive β-carotene can increase the risk of cancer in smokers

Beta-carotene, which has always been regarded as a healthy nutrient, has also been given a red light on the map, which is quite surprising. Many people think that vitamins and trace elements are essential to health, so the more intake the better, but some experts point out that this is not the case.

The Health Expert Committee organized by the National Institutes of Health of the United States believes that excessive intake of carotene will increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. According to the results of a study by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the incidence of lung cancer increased by 28% after supplementing b-carotene to smokers. This is because the oxidants in cigarettes can oxidize beta-carotene, and in the absence of other synergistic vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin E, it does more harm than good.

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