Best sources of beta-carotene:
Food sources are preferred and beta-carotene supplements are not recommended. The National Research Council, Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids, have stated that beta-carotene supplements are not advised among healthy individuals, unless they suffer from or are at risk of vitamin A deficiency. Beta-carotene supplementation results in a greater increase of beta-carotene blood concentration than beta-carotene rich foods. A 20 mg/d supplement of beta-carotene can result in blood concentrations high enough to increase a patient’s risk of lung cancer, while the same quantity obtained from foods was not associated with lung cancer risk. Additionally, 30 mg/d of beta-carotene supplement was associated with blood concentrations 5 times greater than that of 29 mg/d of beta-carotene from carrots. (3)
