Category Archives: Carotenoids

Carotenoids as Thermogenic Agents

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Robert Barrington

Carotenoids are a group of lipid soluble antioxidants that are found in plants. In plants they allow the harvesting of light for photosynthesis under conditions of low light and protect the cells from oxidation under conditions of high light. Carotenoids … Continue reading →

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Bioavailability of Beta-Carotene in Carrots and Spinach

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Robert Barrington

Carrots and spinach are rich sources of β-carotene. Beta-carotene is a plant pigment that is used in the photosynthetic process. As part of this role in plants, β-carotene is required to act as an electron acceptor during times of high … Continue reading →

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Vitamin C in Carrots

Posted on May 20, 2024 by Robert Barrington

Carrots are perhaps best known for their orange colour which derives from their high concentrations of carotenoids (60 to 134 mg per kg). In particular, carrots are high in alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, and both of these carotenoids are bioavailable and … Continue reading →

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Edible Flowers

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Robert Barrington

Flower petals are brightly coloured as the purpose of the petals is to attract insects that can pollinate the plant. The plant uses a variety of phytochemicals to colour its petals and some of these have interesting nutritional properties. Two … Continue reading →

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The Colour of Plants

Posted on December 20, 2022 by Robert Barrington

The colour seen in plants has a nutritional significance. The primary reason that plants produce pigments are firstly to attract pollinating insects, and secondly to act as pigments in the photosynthetic process. With regard to the former, perhaps some of … Continue reading →

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Antioxidants in Mango Peel

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Robert Barrington

Mango fruits are categorised into different colors based on the peels they possess. In this regard mangos can be red, green, yellow, or a combination of these colours. The colours in the peels of mango, like most fruits and vegetables, … Continue reading →

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Carotenoids for Diabetic Retinopathy?

Posted on September 13, 2022 by Robert Barrington

Diabetes is a disease of blood glucose regulation. The endpoint of diabetes is elevated levels of blood sugar and this can have a damaging long-term effect on various physiological functions. High levels of glucose is problematic in the blood because … Continue reading →

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Phytochemistry of White Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)

Posted on March 28, 2022 by Robert Barrington

White cabbage (Brassica oleraceae) is a cruciferous vegetable belonging to the same family as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, watercress and cauliflower. Cabbage is a relatively cheap vegetable and is commonly available in large parts of the world, which makes it an … Continue reading →

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The Nutritional Content of Brassica Plants

Posted on January 10, 2022 by Robert Barrington

The brassica family of plants are a nutritionally important group of plants that include kale, Brussel sprouts, watercress, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. These plants have been evidence to confer beneficial health effects to humans. The plants contain a range of … Continue reading →

Posted in Alkaloids, Brassica, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carotenoids, Cauliflower, Glucosinolates, Kale (Brassica oleracea), Polyphenols, Terpenes, Watercress | Comments Off on The Nutritional Content of Brassica Plants

The Phytochemicals in Cucurbitaceae Family Vegetables

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Robert Barrington

The Cucurbitaceae family vegetables include the common cucumber that most people are familiar with from supermarkets. However, melons are also part of this family. Both cucumbers and melons are medicinal in nature, and this relates to the phytochemicals they contain. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiac Glycosides, Carotenoids, Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber and Melon), Saponins, Sterols and Stanols, Terpenes, Vicine | Comments Off on The Phytochemicals in Cucurbitaceae Family Vegetables