Solving Carrot Salad's Beta-carotene Issue

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Many members including me complain about side effects of carrot salad outweighing benefits. We believe it's b-carotene being absorbed. So I was thinking how to suppress b-carotene absorption. Its easier then I initially thought. Carotenoids compete to be absorbed. And lutein greatly diminishes b-carotene absorption.

Effect of simultaneous, single oral doses of beta-carotene with lutein or lycopene on the beta-carotene and retinyl ester responses in the triacylg... - PubMed - NCBI
In conclusion, this study showed that lutein, but not lycopene, negatively affected beta-carotene absorption when given simultaneously with beta-carotene but apparently had no effect on beta-carotene cleavage.

It means we still get some vitamin A created by b-carotene cleavage. Another study found that the process of competition is ratio dependent.

https://www.researchgate.net/public...f_lutein_on_-carotene_absorption_and_cleavage
In a comparative study with two beta-carotene/lutein ratios (2:1 and 1:2, respectively), this inhibitory effect of lutein was found to be most marked when lutein was the predominant carotenoid. In studies on plasma (serum) response also an inhibitory effect of beta-carotene on lutein response was observed.

https://www.agriculturejournals.cz/publicFiles/01951.pdf
The carotene content of carrots ranges from 60–120 mg/100 g, but some varietes can contain up to 300 mg/100 g (Velíšek 1999)

This amount of carotene could probably be outweighed by a sane portion of kale or spinach.
In theory it looks good. I don't know how would this suppressing dose of lutein affect overall health and thyroid function especially. I would appreciate any contribution in this investigation.
 

somuch4food

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It's only good if you tolerate lutein. I discovered that it is a huge trigger for me.

I get depressive and tired from lutein. Carotenoids are not necessarily the healthy nutrients they're touted to be as some have discovered with beta carotene.
 

Waremu

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I think if you're very concerned about the b-carotene, then, after chewing the carrot fiber up in your mouth, spit the juice out and swallow the fiber portion that is in your mouth. A good deal of the b-carotene that is more absorbable will likely go out in the juice that you spit out and the little bit that remains in the fiber that you swallow will probably not be well absorbed as it's locked in the fiber more. But either way, you're consuming much less that way.
 

schultz

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You could take thyroid. With a strong metabolism you'll just convert the carotene to Vitamin A.

In the Thomas McGavack book "The Thyroid" it says...

"In hypothyroid states and in thyroidectomized animals the ability of the liver to convert carotene to Vitamin A is decreased or lost"

"When there is a deficiency of the thyroid hormone it is believed that the liver shows a decreased ability to convert provitamin A, that is, carotene, to vitamin A. Therefore, in hypothyroidism or in thyroidectimized animals, the vitamin A supplies of the liver are depleted, and hence the low blood serum values. These may be still further lowered by large doses of estrogen..."

"In hyperthyroidism there seems to be no difficulty in the conversion of provitamin A to vitamin A, or in the storage of the latter in the liver."


In the 2nd quote it might be assumed that the low vitamin A status is caused by inadequate conversion of carotene combined with inadequate intake of vitamin A, so in effect the person is not getting any vitamin A, or very little. Either that or there is some other reason for the low values which I have failed to recognize.
 
OP
methylenewhite
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Switch to bamboo shoots.
Easier than grating, washing, squeezing etc.

Im currently thinking to plant some bamboo to try bamboo shoots. They don't sell it here.
 

Birdie

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Here’s mine. Rinsed the carrot bits a few times, soaking them each time. A lot of orange water discarded. Ray said rinsing would remove a lot of the beta carotene.

It’s been a while since I used the carrot salad. Just starting up again for the last few days. Added lemon juice and salt.

I know a teaspoonful of olive oil is recommended but I’m skipping that for now since it doesn’t appeal to me.
upload_2019-3-7_11-31-57.jpeg
 

Birdie

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Im currently thinking to plant some bamboo to try bamboo shoots. They don't sell it here.
Should be interesting. Wonder how long they take. I tried the canned ones. Awful.
 

belscb

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Why not just grow and use black carrots in the carrot salad instead? My understanding is that those carrots contain anthocyanins instead of carotenes (the black is technically just a really dark purple). That should take care of the problem, right?

For what it's worth, I eat canned bamboo shoots. I don't mind them at all, personally. And they treat me even better than carrots.
 

belscb

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Edit: I just looked it up, and it turns out black carrots actually have *more* carotenes than orange carrots (in addition to their anthocyanin content). So I suppose you'd really want to grow white carrots instead. Those are very easy to find and grow, and since they're naturally white their should be no risk of carotenes. Carrots are actually white in the wild, so the white color is a throwback to more wild genes.
 

Birdie

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I'm sure you know, there is the cooked white button mushroom alternative to the carrot salad.
I thought a lot of people had switched to that.
 

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