Younger Women Not Eating Enough Carotenoid-Rich Fruits And Vegetables

Two-thirds of American women eat insufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables to obtain necessary levels of the phytonutrients known as carotenoids, leaving them at greater risk for diseases of the breasts and ovaries, according to a new report. The problem is bigger among younger women, however. Compounds that give fruits and vegetables color, carotenoids include alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin (yellow/orange), lutein/zeaxanthin (green) and lycopene (red). Women age 45 and older were found to consume 50 percent more beta-carotene, 40 percent more alpha-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin, and 10 percent more beta-cryptoxanthin. Younger and older women consume comparable amounts of lycopene. Foods rich in carotenoids that women eat most include spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and oranges (and orange juice). The report was produced by Nutrilite, a unit of Amway Corp.