Ideal quantity of beta-carotene consumption:
The consumption of 5 or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables is recommended by “National Cancer Institute’s Five-A-Day for a Better Health program” and “Canada’s Food Guide for Healthy Eating.” Eating a variety of 5 fruits and vegetables per day provides the individual with about 5.2 to 6 mg/day of food based beta-carotene (3).
According to Martini et al in the University of Minnesota Cancer Prevention Research Unit Feeding Studies, an intake of 5 mg per day of beta carotene was required to establish beta carotene levels to a plasma level of 0.37 umol/L. When food based beta carotene was consumed in the form of about 1.5 cups of carrots, and about 0.9 cups of spinach which equated to just over 42 mg of beta-carotene per day, levels increased to 0.83 umol/L. (5)