Carotenoidi, benefici e fonti alimentari

carotenoidi2

I carotenoidi sono una classe di pigmenti contenuti nelle piante e in altri organismi fotosensibili come le alghe e alcuni funghi. Attualmente ne sono stati classificati circa 600, suddivisi in due categorie: le xantofille e i più noti caroteni. Mentre le prime contengono atomi di ossigeno, i secondi, tra cui troviamo licopene e carotene, ne sono privi.

Il colore dei carotenoidi varia dal giallo pallido al rosso acceso ed essi sono rinvenibili soprattutto in alimenti quali zucche, carote, angurie, peperoni, pomodori, ananas e, in generale, negli agrumi. Tutti alimenti, come vedete, il cui colore spazia appunto dal giallo al rosso. Questo però non deve far pensare che i carotenoidi siano contenuti solo in frutta e ortaggi di colore giallo, rosa o rosso-arancione, infatti ne sono ricchi anche vegetali a foglia verde come broccoli e prezzemolo.

E’ grazie alla loro particolare struttura molecolare, che li rende in grado di legare ed eliminare i radicali liberi e svolgere quindi un’efficace azione anti-ossidante, che i carotenoidi sono diventati noti al grande pubblico, ma in realtà sono molteplici gli effetti benefici svolti sull’organismo da questa particolare classe di molecole: solo per fare un esempio, la luteina, appartenente alla classe delle xantofille, si è dimostrata efficace nella prevenzione della degenerazione maculare senile, mentre il licopene, contenuto in angurie e pomodori, è da tempo oggetto di studi volti a dimostrarne l’azione anti-cancro.

Inoltre, alcuni carotenoidi fungono da precursori della vitamina A (altrimenti detta retinolo), sostanza in grado di proteggere dalle radiazioni solari mediante la riduzione della fotosensibilità cutanea e conferire alla pelle un colorito più dorato. In particolare, è il beta-carotene (il più diffuso tra i carotenoidi, contenuto soprattutto nelle carote) a svolgere la funzione di precursore della vitamina A, mentre all’alfa-carotene si riconosce una maggiore efficacia antiossidante.

Nonostante la principale fonte alimentare di carotenoidi sia rappresentata da alimenti vegetali, essi sono presenti anche in alcuni alimenti di origine animale come salmone e crostacei.

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