Carotenoids are antioxidants found in many vegetables, such as pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, kale and spinach, as well as in fruits such as mango, apricot and orange.
"There are many studies that show that vegetables are good for preventing cardiovascular disease. But vegetables contain many good things: Vitamins, fiber, and carotenoids. We wanted to see if the carotenoids themselves have a good effect," says Rosanna Chung, associate professor at Linköping University.
Therefore, the level of carotenoids in the blood of 1,078 people aged 50 to 64 years was measured and correlated with signs of low-grade chronic inflammation.
Those who had the lowest levels of carotenoids had higher levels of inflammatory markers and vice versa.
Low-grade inflammation can contribute to age-related diseases. By reducing the level of inflammation, you can reduce your risk, says Rosanna Chung.
The police of the body
Those with low carotenoid levels also had higher levels of granulocytes in their blood. They are an important part of the body's immune system, but higher numbers of granulocytes can also contribute to the development of chronic inflammation.
"You can think of granulocytes as the body's first line of defense. They can fight off all the bad guys, bacteria and viruses. They are very important, but if there are too many police officers, they can become very active, trying to shoot everywhere and then they increase inflammation," says Rosanna Chung.
There is therefore much evidence to suggest that it is good to get plenty of carotenoids. However, it is important not to cook the vegetables for so long or at such high temperatures that the carotenoids are drastically reduced. In another study, Rosanna Chung is investigating how different combinations of spinach smoothies can increase the amount of carotenoids in the body.
Lifestyle consequences
Many people experience increasing low-grade inflammation in their bodies as they get older, but it is not a natural part of aging, Rosanna Chung emphasizes:
There are older people with very low levels of inflammation. They usually have a healthier lifestyle.
It's all about exercising, eating a good diet, getting enough sleep, and maintaining a healthy body weight. But she adds that even those who live very healthy lives can suffer from low-grade inflammation, as there are always other factors that can affect it.
The data used in the study was taken from a large population study, Scapis, with the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation as the main funder.
