What is beta carotene?
Most people have heard of beta carotene, the antioxidant found most commonly in carrots. This essential nutrient has so many amazing benefits for your health because it helps create vitamin A in your body. With that vitamin A, your body becomes more beautiful from inside to out, which is why you should be eating more of it.
From the Inside
Eating foods that are rich in beta carotene help your body function optimally. These effects can also be visible on the outside in your skin and hair health. If you really want to look radiant and ravishing, be sure to eat more carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash, cantaloupe, red and yellow peppers, apricots, and broccoli.
Seasoning these foods with natural herbs and spices like paprika, cilantro, parsley, sage, and coriander gives you another boost of beta carotene. But the best way to absorb the full effects of it and help it convert to vitamin A most efficiently is to eat it with olive oil, nuts, seeds, or avocados which can help your body absorb it. Don’t overdo it though! Your body absorbs what it needs and taking in too much doesn’t help…in fact, it can be toxic!
From the Outside
The effects of beta carotene can be incredible when you use it topically. When you apply skincare products that feature beta carotene, once it penetrates the skin, it boosts retinyl esters. These are stored forms of retinol which you might already know to be a derivative of vitamin A. With this,
Beta Carotene Benefits
If it sounds like beta carotene is beneficial for you, that’s only part of it. Knowing what it can do will make you want to eat your spinach (and your other daily recommended dosage of veggies too).
From the inside, beta carotene helps with your heart health, keeping the cardiovascular system strong. With the high content of antioxidant, it keeps cells strong while keeping free radicals from causing damage. It’s also great for your brain, working to keep it young and protected from oxidative stress (thanks again, antioxidants!). And one of the biggest things everyone has always credited beta carotene for is protecting eye health.
From the outside, beta carotene halts premature aging while adding a nice, natural glow to your skin. A hearty reminder though – only consume what is recommended, for too much will turn you an unhealthy-looking pumpkin yellow on your hands, feet, nose, and the whites of your eyes. Not exactly the beauty trend you want to start!
While a healthy, balanced diet will assure you get just the right amount of beta carotene to light up from within and enjoy all the health benefits of beta carotene, using skincare products that have it can fade away dark spots. Smooth it on topically and you’ll see vibrant and youthful skin with the kind of glow that will make you the envy of all!
