Positive Health Online

Abstract

McELIGOT and colleagues, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0901 USA studied the relationship of carotenes responses to the consumption of vegetable juices versus raw or cooked vegetables .

Background

Methodology

The authors examined serum concentrations of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin following the consumption of vegetable juice versus raw or cooked vegetables . Participants in the study included female breast cancer patients who had undergone surgical resection and who were enrolled in a feasibility study for a trial looking at the influence of diet on breast cancer recurrence. The focus of the intervention was a high-vegetable, low-fat diet, and some women were specifically encouraged to consume vegetable juice. Following 12 months, blood samples were collected and analysed for carotenoid concentrations using HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography). The 2 groups consisted of the juice group, who consumed vegetable juice and the no juice group (those who consumed raw or cooked vegetables.

Results

Serum concentrations of alpha-carotene and lutein were significantly higher in the vegetable juice group compared to the raw or cooked vegetable group. There were no significant differences in serum values of beta-carotene, lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin between women consuming juice and those not consuming any juice.

Conclusion

The results from this study suggest that alpha-carotene and lutein appear to be more bioavailable in juice form than in raw or cooked vegetables . Therefore, the food form consumed may contribute to the variability in serum carotenoid response to vegetable and fruit interventions in clinical studies.

References

McEligot AJ et al. Comparison of serum carotenoid responses between women consuming vegetable juice and women consuming raw or cooked vegetables. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 8(3): 227-31. Mar 1999.