Do you feel like snacking on a few baby carrots here and there during the week?
You could be making a smart decision for your health, according to the findings of a new study.
The small study found that eating baby carrots just three times a week “significantly increased” skin carotenoids in young adults, according to a June 30 news release.
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And when this healthy snack was combined with a multivitamin containing the carotenoid beta-carotene, levels of these phytonutrients increased even further, the study found.
“Previous studies have shown that carotenoid levels in the skin can be increased by consuming three times the recommended serving of fruits and vegetables every day for three weeks,” Mary Harper Simmons, a master's student in nutritional sciences at Samford University in Alabama, said in the statement.
Eating baby carrots just three times a week “significantly increased” skin carotenoids in young adults, a new study found. (iStock)
“Our findings suggest that a small, simple dietary modification (incorporating baby carrots as a snack) can significantly increase carotenoid accumulation in the skin,” he also said.
Los Angeles-based nutritionist and registered dietitian Ilana Muhlstein previously told Fox News Digital: “Carrots are the number one food source of beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A, vital to our immune system.” She was not involved in the new study.
“Carrots are known to be rich sources of vitamin A and carotenoids, specifically beta-carotene.”
Muhlstein also previously said that the fiber in carrots can function as a prebiotic, which can help intestinal health and general immunity.
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Another nutrition expert said much the same thing.
Alyssa Burnison, a registered dietitian in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who works for profileplan.com, previously told Fox News Digital: “Carrots are known to be rich sources of vitamin A and carotenoids, specifically beta-carotene.” She was also not involved in the new study.
“Our findings suggest that a small and simple dietary modification (incorporating baby carrots as a snack) can significantly increase carotenoid accumulation in the skin,” said one study researcher. (iStock)
“The body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is known to support immune function and eye health,” he said.
bright is right
Carotenoids provide the bright red, orange, and yellow colors of many fruits and vegetables. They can be measured in the skin to evaluate the consumption of fruits and vegetables, since diet is the only source of these pigments, the statement says.
Higher levels of carotenoids in the skin are associated with greater antioxidant protection and a lower risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and certain types of cancer. This indicator also reflects better skin health and improved immune function, the same source noted.
Researchers now want to study the effects of other carotenoid-rich foods, such as sweet potatoes or leafy green vegetables.
Simmons is scheduled to present the new study's findings at Nutrition 2024, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), held this year from June 29 to July 2 in Chicago.
The three-day event offers scientific presentations, professional development, networking opportunities and more, according to the ASN website.
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For the new study, researchers randomly assigned 60 young adults to groups.
The groups received a four-week intervention of Granny Smith apple slices (control), 100 grams (about half a cup) of baby carrots, a multivitamin supplement containing beta-carotene, or a combination of baby carrots and the supplement.
“Carrots are the number one food source of beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A, which is vital for our immune system,” said one nutritionist. (Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Before and after the intervention, researchers used “a noninvasive research spectroscopy instrument called VeggieMeter” to quantify carotenoids in the skin of study participants.
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The researchers found that compared with pre-intervention levels, skin carotenoid scores increased significantly by 10.8 percent in the group receiving the baby carrots and by 21.6 percent in the group receiving the carrots and the supplement, the news release noted.
“There may be differences in the way carotenoids are absorbed, depending on whether they come from food or supplements.”
Carotenoid levels in the skin were not modified in the control group or in those who received only the supplement.
The statement also noted that “since carotenoid accumulation was not increased by multivitamin supplementation alone, there may be differences in how carotenoids are absorbed, depending on whether they come from food or supplements.”
Are you hungry and want a snack? Baby carrots may be a very smart choice, according to a new study. (Thinkstock)
In the future, the researchers say they would like to learn more about the mechanism behind these findings and study the effects of other carotenoid-rich foods, such as sweet potatoes or green leafy vegetables.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the American Society for Nutrition for further comment on the new study.
For more health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, ASN describes itself as the preeminent professional organization for nutrition scientists and physician researchers worldwide.
Fox News Digital's Angelica Stabile and Perri Ormont Blumberg contributed reporting.
