beta-cryptoxanthin

Foods Richest in beta-cryptoxanthin

No food chart data available.

About beta-cryptoxanthin

What can beta-cryptoxanthin-containing foods do for you?

What events and lifestyle factors can indicate a need for more foods rich in beta cryptoxanthin foods?

Food sources of beta cryptoxanthin include red bell peppers, papaya, cilantro, oranges, corn and watermelon.

For serving size for specific foods, see Nutrient Rating Chart below at the bottom of this page.

Description

What is beta cryptoxanthin?

Beta-cryptoxanthin, classified chemically as a xanthophyll, is one of the most abundant carotenoids in the North American diet. It is a “provitamin A”compound, one of approximately 50 carotenoids able to be converted in the body into retinol, an active form of vitamin A. Beta cryptoxanthin has approximately one-half of the vitamin A activity of beta-carotene.

How it functions

What are the functions of beta cryptoxanthin?

Preventing vitamin A deficiency

Until late in the 20th Century, the functions of carotenoids, including beta-cryptoxanthin, were discussed only in terms of their potential vitamin A activity. It is one of approximately 50 carotenoids of the known 600 that are called “provitamin A” compounds because the body can convert them into retinol, an active form of vitamin A. As a result, foods that contain beta-cryptoxanthin can help prevent vitamin A deficiency. In addition to beta-cryptoxanthin, some of the other most commonly consumed provitamin A carotenoids include beta-carotene and alpha-carotene.

Anti-cancer properties

Higher dietary beta-cryptoxanthin intake is associated with reduced risk of esophageal and lung cancer in epidemiological studies. Colonic tissue from patients with adenomatous polyps shows lower beta-cryptoxanthin concentrations compared to controls. In F344 rats, beta-cryptoxanthin intake reduced chemically induced colon carcinogenesis. Beyond its free radical scavenging capacity, beta-cryptoxanthin may stimulate expression of the RB gene, a tumor suppressor that inhibits uncontrolled cell division.

Lung function associations

Serum beta-cryptoxanthin concentrations correlate positively with improved pulmonary function test results. Higher dietary intake and higher serum levels are associated with decreased lung cancer risk. Both active smokers and those exposed to secondhand smoke have lower circulating concentrations of this carotenoid.

Deficiency symptoms

What are deficiency symptoms for beta-cryptoxanthin?

Low dietary intake of beta-cryptoxanthin is not known to directly cause disease in the short term. When vitamin A intake is simultaneously low, deficiency of beta-cryptoxanthin and other provitamin A carotenoids can produce symptoms of vitamin A deficiency.

Long-term inadequate carotenoid intake is associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Diets low in carotenoids reduce the body’s capacity to quench reactive oxygen species. Over decades, this diminished antioxidant defense may contribute to cumulative oxidative damage to lipid membranes and DNA.

Toxicity symptoms

What are toxicity symptoms for beta-cryptoxanthin?

High intake of carotenoid-containing foods or supplements is not associated with any toxic side effects. As a result, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences did not establish a Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for carotenoids when it reviewed these compounds in 2000.

Impact of cooking, storage and processing

How do cooking, storage, or processing affect beta-cryptoxanthin?

There is minimal research specifically focusing upon the effects of cooking, storage or processing upon beta-crytoxanthin.

Factors that affect function

What factors might contribute to a deficiency of beta-cryptoxanthin?

Beta-cryptoxanthin is fat-soluble and requires dietary fat for absorption through the digestive tract. Status may be impaired by extremely low-fat diets or by conditions that reduce fat absorption: pancreatic enzyme deficiency, Crohn’s disease, celiac sprue, cystic fibrosis, partial or total gastrectomy, gall bladder disease, and liver disease.

Many adolescents and young adults consume insufficient carotenoids due to low fruit and vegetable intake. Cigarette smokers and regular alcohol drinkers tend to have lower serum beta-cryptoxanthin levels. This reflects both reduced consumption of carotenoid-containing foods and probable accelerated carotenoid degradation by cigarette smoke constituents. Carotenoid supplementation in smokers warrants caution.

Drug-nutrient interactions

What medications affect carotenoids such as beta-crytoxanthin?

The cholesterol-lowering medications referred to as bile acid sequestrants (Cholestyramine, Colestipol, and Colestid) lower blood levels of carotenoids. In addition, margarines enriched with plant sterols such as Benecol and Take Control, may decrease the absorption of carotenoids. Olestra, a fat substitute added to snack foods, may also decrease the absorption of carotenoids.

Nutrient interactions

How do other nutrients interact with beta-cryptoxanthin?

Beta-carotene supplements increase circulating beta-cryptoxanthin levels. Pectin supplementation may decrease carotenoid absorption.

Health conditions

What health conditions require special emphasis on beta-cryptoxanthin and carotenoids?

Carotenoids have been studied in connection with the following health conditions:

Form in dietary supplements

What forms of beta-cryptoxanthin are found in dietary supplements?

In dietary supplements, beta-cryptoxanthin is often found in supplements that feature an array of naturally occurring carotenoids.

Due to inconsistent results from beta-carotene supplement trials (some of which also contained beta-cryptoxanthin), the National Academy of Sciences cautions against high-dose carotenoid supplementation except for preventing vitamin A deficiency.

Food sources

What foods provide beta-cryptoxanthin?

Food sources of beta-cryptoxanthin include red bell peppers, papaya, cilantro, oranges, corn, watermelon, serrano pepper, avocadoes, and grapefruit.

 

Food Source Analysis not Available for this Nutrient

Public health recommendations

What are current public health recommendations for beta-cryptoxanthin and carotenoids?

To date, no recommended dietary intake levels have been established for beta-cryptoxanthin and carotenoids. In an effort to set such recommendations, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences reviewed the existing scientific research on carotenoids in 2000.

Despite the large body of population-based research that links high consumption of foods containing beta-carotene and other carotenoids with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases, the Institute of Medicine concluded that this evidence was not strong enough to support a required carotenoid intake level because it is not yet known if the health benefits associated with carotenoid-containing foods are due to the carotenoids or to some other substance in the food.

However, the National Academy of Sciences supports the recommendations of various health agencies, which encourage individuals to consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetable every day.

References

Related Articles

References

  1. Agarwal S, Rao AV. Carotenoids and chronic diseases. Drug Metabol Drug Interact 2000;17(1-4):189-210 2000. PMID:15130. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/58.4.1047
  2. Alberg AJ, Chen JC, Zhao H, Hoffman SC, Comstock GW, Helzlsouer KJ. Household exposure to passive cigarette smoking and serum micronutrient concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Dec;72(6):1576-82 2000. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/72.6.1576
  3. Burri BJ. Carotenoids and gene expression. Nutrition 2000 Jul-2000 Aug 31;16(7-8):577-8 2000. PMID:15140. https://doi.org/10.1001/JAMA.1977.03270420029011
  4. Cerhan JR, Saag KG, Merlino LA et al. Antioxidant micronutrients and risk of rheumatoid arthritis in a cohort of older women. Am J Epidemiol. 2003 Feb 15; 157(4):345-54 2003. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwf205
  5. De Stefani E, Brennan P, Boffetta P, Ronco AL, Mendilaharsu M, Deneo-Pellegrini H. Vegetables, fruits, related dietary antioxidants, and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus: a case-control study in Uruguay. Nutr Cancer 2000;38(1):23-9 2000. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327914nc381_4
  6. Delgado-Vargas F, Jimenez AR, Paredes-Lopez O. Natural pigments: carotenoids, anthocyanins, and betalains-- characteristics, biosynthesis, processing, and stability. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2000 May;40(3):173-289 2000. PMID:15150.
  7. Groff JL, Gropper SS, Hunt SM. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. West Publishing Company, New York, 1995 1995.
  8. Handelman GJ. The evolving role of carotenoids in human biochemistry. Nutrition 2001 Oct;17(10):818-22 2001. PMID:15100. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3565(25)30832-3
  9. Krinsky NI. Carotenoids as antioxidants. Nutrition 2001 Oct;17(10):815-7 2001. PMID:15110.
  10. Lininger SW, et al. A-Z guide to drug-herb-vitamin interactions. Prima Health, Rocklin, CA, 2000 2000.
  11. Mannisto S, Smith-Warner SA, Spiegelman D, Albanes D, Anderson K, van den Brandt PA, Cerhan JR, Colditz G, Feskanich D, Freudenheim JL, Giovannucci E, Goldbohm RA, Graham S, Miller AB, Rohan TE, Virta. Dietary carotenoids and risk of lung cancer in a pooled analysis of seven cohort studies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. PMID:14744731. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.epi-038-3
  12. Nair S, Norkus EP, Hertan H, Pitchumoni CS. Serum and colon mucosa micronutrient antioxidants: differences between adenomatous polyp patients and controls. Am J Gastroenterol 2001 Dec;96(12):3400-5 2001. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.2001.05341.x
  13. Narisawa T, Fukaura Y, Oshima S, Inakuma T, Yano M, Nishino H. Chemoprevention by the oxygenated carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin of N-methylnitrosourea-induced colon carcinogenesis in F344 rats. Jpn J Cancer Res 1999 Oct;90(10):1061-5 1999. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13065-015-0145-9
  14. Nishino H, Tokuda H, Murakoshi M, Satomi Y, Masuda M, Onozuka M, Yamaguchi S, Takayasu J, Tsuruta J, Okuda M, Khachik F, Narisawa T, Takasuka N, Yano M. Cancer prevention by natural carotenoids. Biofactors 2000;13(1-4):89-94 2000. https://doi.org/10.1002/biof.5520130115
  15. Pattison DJ, Symmons DP, Lunt M, Welch A, Bingham SA, Day NE, Silman AJ. Dietary beta-cryptoxanthin and inflammatory polyarthritis: results from a population-based prospective study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Aug;82(2):451-5. 2005. PMID:16087992. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn.82.2.451
  16. Pizzorno J, Murray M. The Textbook of Natural Medicine. The Textbook of Natural Medicine 1998. https://doi.org/10.1016/c2015-0-02243-2
  17. Schunemann HJ, Grant BJ, Freudenheim JL, Muti P, Browne RW, Drake JA, Klocke RA, Trevisan M. The relation of serum levels of antioxidant vitamins C and E, retinol and carotenoids with pulmonary function in the general population. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001 Apr;163(5):1246-55 2001. https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm.163.5.2007135
  18. Young AJ, Lowe GM. Antioxidant and prooxidant properties of carotenoids. Arch Biochem Biophys 2001 Jan 1;385(1):20-7 2001. PMID:15120. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmedent/13.4-5.515
  19. Yuan JM, Ross RK, Chu XD, Gao YT, Yu MC. Prediagnostic levels of serum beta-cryptoxanthin and retinol predict smoking-related lung cancer risk in Shanghai, China. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2001 Jul;10(7):767-73 2001.