Carotenoids: Carotenoids are natural yellow orange pigments found in fruits and vegetables and have photo protective properties in plants. Of the 600 known, we found forty on our plates and a small half has been identified in the blood and tissues. The most studied at present are beta-carotene or lycopene, and pigments xanthophyles as zeaxanthin and luthéine. Their antioxidant effect is often highlighted as they are able to trap some free radicals. It also refers to the ability of carotenoids to modulate the activity of certain enzymes, lipoxygenases, pro-inflammatory and immunomodulatory enzymes, hence their importance in protection against these phenomena.
