Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
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 The carotenoid called lutein has an affinity for the macula of the eye. Eating spinach can increase macular lutein levels, so it can be said that the healing nutrients in spinach "go to the eyes."
• The flavonoids in milk thistle seed (Silybum marianum) have an affinity for and are stored in the liver.
• Ginkgo leaves (Ginkgo biloba) exhibit numerous membrane-stabilizing and antioxidant effects on neural tissue, as well as increasing the transport of glucose and oxygen into nerve cells. |
| The red carotenoid lycopene is found in watermelon, guava, and pink grapefruit, though tomatoes are by far the best source. Lycopene is made more bioavailable by cooking in oil, so using tomato sauce with some olive oil is probably best. To get high enough levels of lutein to treat eye diseases, supplementation is necessary, and many companies are now providing this nutrient in pill form.
There are many herbs used traditionally for eye problems. In our clinic we commonly use buddleia flower (me meng hua or B. officinalis), chrysanthemum flower, lycium fruit (gou qi zi or L. |
Linda B. White, M.D.
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 Vitamin C (1,000 to 2,000 milligrams)
þ Folic acid (400 to 600 micrograms)
þ Vitamin E (400 to 800 IU)
You Say Tomato
Lycopene, a carotenoid found in both fresh and cooked tomatoes, seems to protect against dysplasia. Of course, in any condition that challenges the immune system, the more chemical toxins you avoid the better, so consider looking for organic tomatoes or growing your own. If you want to take lycopene as a supplement, take 1 to 5 milligrams daily. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D.
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 Other constituents of dandelion that may contribute to its pharmacology include resin, pectin, taraxanthin (a carotenoid pigment in the flowers), fatty acids, and flavonoids.
Many studies show that dandelion is a rich source of vitamins and minerals.1 The leaves have the highest vitamin A content of all greens (14,000 international units [IU] per 100 grams raw greens) as well as ample amounts of vitamins D, B complex, and C, and minerals such as iron, silicon, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, manganese, copper, and phosphorus. |
Ronald L. Hoffman, M.D.
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 Critics of these studies point to the necessity of utilizing beta-carotene along with companion carotenoid nutrients, as well as other antioxidants, to achieve immune enhancement and protect against free radical damage. They also point to the rigorous task assigned to beta-carotene: that of preventing cancer in heavy smokers for the relatively short duration of the trials themselves —a few years, rather than the decades during which the subjects had been smoking. |
Patrick Quillin, PhD,RD,CNS
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 Lycopenes are reddish pigments from the carotenoid family. Most fruits and vegetables contain little to no lycopenes. Tomatoes are the richest source of lycopenes, with watermelon, and red grapefruit containing appreciable amounts of lycopenes.12 100 grams of raw tomatoes, or about 1 cup, contains about 3 milligrams of lycopenes. Lycopenes made headlines around the world, and cheers in many college dorms, in December of 1995 when a scientific study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that men who ate more PIZZA experienced less prostate cancer. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 Lipoic acid—100 milligrams Vitamin E—400 to 800 IU Tocotrienols—100 milligrams
Coenzyme Q10—100 to 300 milligrams
Turmeric extract—900 to 1,800 milligrams of curcumin
Mixed carotenoid complex—25,000 IU
Detoxification Patients
People in detoxification programs benefit from antioxidants. The process of detoxification itself creates free radicals that need to be detoxified with antioxidants. |
| Interestingly, lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in the prostate gland. Researchers feel that lycopene is better absorbed from tomato sauce as opposed to raw tomatoes.
A 6-year Harvard study of 48,000 male physicians found that men who consumed tomato-rich foods (tomatoes, tomato sauce, and pizza) at least ten times a week, had a 35 percent decreased risk of prostate cancer as compared with those men who had less than a serving-and-a-half of those high-lycopene servings every week.
Men have asked me whether it makes sense to use lycopene as a supplement for prostate cancer. |
| Lintonoids
Source: citrus fruits and peels
Properties: detoxifies
Conditions: cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention (continued)
°^ Lycopene
Source: tomatoes; red grapefruit
Properties: antioxidant
Conditions: cancer prevention and treatment
(particularly prostate)
See also carotenoid, page 89. |
Earl Mindell
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 LYCOPENE: A carotenoid that does not have any provitamin A activity (meaning that it is not converted into vitamin A as the body needs it), and has significantly more antioxidant capability than beta-carotene. Lycopene is the substance that gives tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and other fruits and vegetables their red color, and has been shown to inhibit the growth of many types of cancer cells. In fact, men who eat pizza have been found to have a reduced risk of prostate cancer because of the lycopene-rich tomato sauce. |
| Lycopene, the substance that gives tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and other fruits and vegetables their distinctive red color, is the new popular carotenoid on the nutritional block. Findings from Harvard University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute indicate that tomato consumption reduces the risk of cancer in general and prostate cancer in particular. In fact, the study showed that men who consumed large amounts of tomatoes had only about half the risk of prostate cancer as did men who consumed small amounts of tomato products. |
| LUTEIN: Another carotenoid that does not convert to vitamin A in the body but is an impressive antioxidant. Especially helpful in protecting the eyes, lutein has been found to clear away free radicals caused by harmful ultraviolet rays and retard macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in people sixty-five and over.
Food and Supplement Advice: Lutein is abundant in spinach and collard greens, so if you eat plenty of those daily you probably do not need a supplement. |
| ZEAXANTHIN: This carotenoid, like lutein, also protects the eye from free radical induced macular degeneration. (Damage to the macular, a tiny dimple on the retina responsible for fine vision, can cause blurry vision and eventually lead to loss of central vision. Though surgery may slow its progress, there is no cure for macular degeneration, which is why prevention is so important.) Zeaxanthin may also help protect against different forms of cancer by scavenging free radicals and decreasing the growth of tumor cells. |
| Vitamin E's absorption may be reduced if you have high levels of vitamin A and beta-carotene in your body, but unless you are overdoing your supplements
(or your skin looks a little orange from carotenoid overload) I wouldn't worry.
Is there any way to tell if I'm low on antioxidants?
As a matter of fact, there is. It's called an oxidative stress test and uses urine and blood samples to determine your body's free-radical levels and glutathione reserves. If you're in good health with no distressing symptoms or serious concerns, I don't feel there is a need to incur the expense of a test. |
| Supplements are sold separately, but beta-carotene is included in mixed carotenoid formulas as well as most multivitamins and antioxidant formulas. Beta-carotene is available in two forms: all-trans-and 9-cw-beta-carotene. The 9-cis form may be better absorbed by the body.
CAUTION: If you have hypothyroidism, your body probably cannot convert alpha- or beta-carotene into vitamin A, so it's best to avoid these supplements. |
Dr. Mary Dan Eades
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 If you are pregnant, use a natural carotenoid complex such as Be-tatene in place of vitamin A.
• Zinc inhibits crystallization, which can lead to stone formation. Recommendation: Take 50 to 80 mg of zinc gluconate daily. Do not exceed this amount, as it tends to depress immunity.
Herbal remedies
• The juice of the aloe vera plant is useful in preventing stone formation. It can also reduce the size of stones during an attack. Drink V2 cup of aloe juice 3 times daily.
• Ginkgo and goldenseal are potent antioxidants that aid circulation to the kidneys and have anti-inflammatory properties. |
Committee on Comparative Toxicity of Naturally Occurring Carcinogens
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 Investigations suggest that P-carotene is the most effective carotenoid in cancer prevention. However, one sUidy implicates other components of fruits and vegetables in cancer prevention (Le Marchand et al. 1989). In this study of the relationship between the intake of fruits and vegetables and lung cancer risk in humans, results indicated a negative dose-dependent relationship between dietary P-carotene and lung cancer risk, but no clear association for retinol, vitamin C, folic acid, iron, dietary fiber, or fruits. |
Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.
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 Its beneficial effects must therefore be attributed to some other, little-understood "carotenoid effect," according to scientists at Roche Pharmaceuticals (2).
Researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine showed that in young chickens, at least, canthaxanthin works by enhancing vitamin E levels in membranes and only secondarily by serving as an antioxidant (3).
Canthaxanthin was given to rats with salivary gland tumors. |
Nicola Reavley
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 In a 1997 study, researchers at Arizona State University assessed the relationship between carotenoid pigments in the retina of the eye, including lutein and zeaxanthin, and the density of clouding in the lens. The study involved younger people (ages 24 to 36 years) and older people (aged 48 to 82 years). The results showed that lens density increased with age, and that the increase was related to lower macular pigment carotenes.3
Vitamin C
The vitamin C content of the eye is 20 times greater than that in the blood. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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 It's rich in lutein, a carotenoid that helps prevent macular degeneration. It's also easy to make.
WHAT YOU NEED
Any combination of the following greens: arugula, broccoli, collards, kale, mustard greens, spinach, and turnip greens
Carrots, diced Tomatoes, sliced
WHAT TO DO
In a large bowl, toss together the greens of your choice. Add as much of the carrots and tomatoes as you wish. dark-colored fruits. The most frequently cited source is the bilberry, though it's far from the only source. |
Bradley J. Willcox, M.D., D. Craig Willcox, Ph.D., Makoto Suzuki, M.D.
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 Enjoy this low-cal, cancer-fighting, cooling dessert on a sultry summer evening.
2 tablespoons turbinado or brown 3 cups lemon-flavored unsweetened sugar carbonated water, chilled
5 cups watermelon balls, chilled Sprigs of fresh mint leaves
Combine 2 tablespoons water and the turbinado sugar in a small cup and cover it with plastic wrap. Microwave at low for 1 minute and stir to dissolve.
In a large glass bowl or in 6 individual dessert glasses, mix the watermelon balls, carbonated water, and sugar syrup. Float mint leaves on the liquid.
NUTRITION FACTS: 1 SERVING; Caloric Density 0. |
Adrian Forsyth and Kenneth Miyata
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 On one level, we can explain why cherries are red by stating that they contain carotenoid and xanthophyll pigments; but this tells us only how cherries happen to be red. An evolutionary biologist, seeking a more fundamental answer, would argue that cherries are red in order to entice birds to disperse the tree's seeds, which lie waiting in the fruit's pit. This explanation leads us to yet another mechanistic problem. Why, out of all the colors available, have so many fruits converged on the color red? |
Heather Boon, BScPhm, PhD and Michael Smith, BPharm, MRPharmS, ND
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 ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS
Calendula has been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties.811"14 Following topical application both the triterpene812and flavonoid13 fractions have been shown to possess an anti-inflammatory action in vivo. The most pronounced effect has been noted with the faridol esters extracted from the essential oil.12 In addition, it has been suggested that the anti-inflammatory action of the isorhamnetin flavonoid glycosides is due to an inhibition of lipoxygenase activity. |
Ruth Winter, M.S.
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 A yellow carotenoid (see) solution or powder, it is a color additive in ink used for marking foods, and in oleomarganne, poultry, sausage casings, and shortening. May cause contact dermatitis.
BLACK • Inorganic carbon black and iron oxide used to color face powders. Carbon black from carbon or charcoal. Not subject to certification (see). See Colors.
BLACKBERRY • Rubus fruiticosus. The berries, leaves, and root bark are used to treat fevers, colds, sore throats, vaginal discharge, diarrhea, and dysentery. |
Marcia Zimmerman, C.N.
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 They are rich in lycopene, a carotenoid that protects the skin from ultraviolet light in the hotter months. The more ripening that occurs on the vine, the more lycopene tomatoes contain. We can enjoy tomatoes all year round, but fresh tomatoes are best eaten in the summer when they are naturally in season. Dried, canned, or bottled varieties can be eaten other times of the year. The dried and canned varieties have been harvested and processed at the peak of their ripeness and have concentrated levels of lycopene. |
| Firm vegetables are more palatable if they are lightly cooked, preferably steamed, just until they are tender and still brightly colored. carotenoid phytochemicals are easier to obtain when vegetables that contain them are lightly steamed. Winter squash, yams, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin should be cooked, usually baked, until soft.
Daily Servings Guide
Vegetables provide most of the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals we get in our diet. They are extremely important for brain and nervous system function. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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| Tomatoes and tomato-based foods are rich in lycopene, a member of the carotenoid family. Harvard researchers have determined that eating just two servings of tomato-based foods a week can reduce a man's chances of developing of prostate cancer by about one-third. Eat more tomato-rich foods, and risk drops even more.
But lycopene's benefits don't stop there. According to a team of Italian researchers, tomato-rich foods also help prevent mouth, throat, esophageal, stomach, rectal, and colon cancers. |
Ralph Moss, PhD
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 Lycopene
Lycopene is a natural carotenoid, which is responsible for the bright red color of tomatoes and a number of other foods. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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| For example, vitamin C, vitamin E, and the big carotenoid family all have some immune-strengthening properties. You don't get these nutrients from roast beef, cheese, or candy bars. You get them from plant that ingested the herb experienced very little decline in immune function.
Other studies have revealed that mice given ashwagandha are better able to fend off several types of bacterial infection, including pseudo-monas, salmonella, and staphylococcus. In addition, the herb triggers significant increases in bone marrow activity, boosting the production of red blood cells. |
| Research has shown that fruits and veggies rich in lycopene (a member of the carotenoid family) can help protect against prostate cancer.
You can get lycopene by eating plenty of red-colored plant foods such as watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava, and especially tomatoes. Any kind of tomato-based food can help—sauces, soups, salads, even pizza (as long as you go light on the cheese and stay away from meat toppings).
I have a cherry tomato plant in my Garden of Youth. When fruiting, it produces up to 30 plump cherry tomatoes a day. |
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