Breeding better broccoli
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 - 14:35
in Biology & Nature
Carotenoids -fat-soluble plant compounds found in some vegetables -are essential to the human diet and reportedly offer important health benefits to consumers. Plant carotenoids are the most important source of vitamin A in the human diet; the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, found in corn and leafy greens vegetable such as kale, broccoli, and spinach, are widely considered to be valuable antioxidants capable of protecting humans from chronic diseases including age-related macular degeneration, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.