A15487514 Beta-carotene is a nutrition buzzword of the 90's. It has been suggested, for example, that beta-carotene may decrease the risk of cancer, heart disease and cataracts, and enhance immune function. But beta-carotene is only one of more than 500 members of the carotenoid family.
Carotenoids are what give fruits and vegetables their yellow, orange and red colors.
We now know that many carotenoids also have antioxidant properties that protect cells against free radicals by neutralizing them before they can cause damage. Based on this information, researchers are now beginning to question whether beta-carotene has been wrongly singled out for attention. Perhaps some of the more than 500 other carotenoids found in foods are equally important for disease prevention. Carotenoids Against Lung Cancer. Until recently, beta-carotene was the only carotenoid to be considered in cancer research because it is found in the greatest quantities in foods.