Simon: Pigment Power

Pigment Power in Carrot Colors

How pigments promote good health

WHITE	ORANGE	PURPLE OUTSIDE ORANGE INSIDE	RED	YELLOW
Health benefit = None from pigment, but fiber for digestive health	Health benefit = Vitamin A essential for healthy eyes and immune system	Health benefit = Helps prevent heart disease & strokes, antioxidant ties up harmful free radicals, and vitamin A activity	Health benefit = Helps prevent cancer (especially prostate), and vitamin A activity	Health benefit = Eye health (especially macular degeneration) and cancer prevention
Pigment = No pigment, like wild carrot (Queen Anne's Lace)	Pigment = Beta and alpha carotene	Pigment = Anthocyanin, beta and alpha carotene	Pigment = Lycopene (another carotenoid) and beta-carotene	Pigment = Xanthophylls (other carotenoids), especially lutein
Origin = Northern Europe; 1600's	Origin = Europe and Middle East; 1600's	Origin = Afghanistan, Turkey, and Middle East; 900's	Origin = India, China, and Japan; 1700's	Origin = Afghanistan, Turkey, and Middle East; 900's

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A user-friendly url for this page is https://ars.usda.gov/mwa/msn/pigment-power

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