Orange is the colour of the season with squashes, pumpkins and sweet potato’s making wonderful soups and stews in the colder months to come.
But what’s the science behind this wonderful colour and how does it benefit our health?

Carotenoids are a group of phytonutrients, made by plants, that give certain vegetables their orange colour. The most common carotenoids in Western diets are: α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene.
Some carotenoids are provitamin A carotenoids, meaning they are precursors of vitamin A (retinol) in the body. Vitamin A is essential for growth, immune function, as well as vision development and maintenance.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are also carotenoids that are not precursors to vitamin A, but they are selectively taken into the macula of the eye and help to support visual function.
Lycopene is a carotenoid that has one of the most powerful antioxidant capacities of all carotenoids, allowing it to neutralise free radicals and prevent cellular damage.
But did you know that carotenoids also play a role in reproductive health by supporting follicular development and ovulation. Up to 14 different types of carotenes have been found in ovarian tissue and the Corpus luteum is Latin for ‘yellow body’, so named because it is rich in carotenes!
Supplementation with beta-carotene and other antioxidants in women has shown to reduce time to pregnancy in couples treated for unexplained fertility and because sperm is susceptible to oxidative damage, carotenes have also been shown to improve male fertility.
If you would like support for your reproductive health or fertility please book a Discovery
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