Carrots and pumpkins have a rich, vibrant, and fresh orange color that makes them a gorgeous addition to homemade soups, salads, stews, and more. Have you ever wondered just what makes that deep festive orange color and what it brings to your body? It’s all thanks to the antioxidant beta carotene, a powerful nutrient that brings benefits to our eyes, skin, cognitive function, and even cancer protection.

When the body has beta carotene it converts it to the crucial Vitamin A. Vitamin A is a crucial nutrient for cell growth and helps the body to maintain healthy organs like the liver, heart, lungs, kidneys, and skin. In homemade soups, it also brings a delicious fresh flavor that does as much for the tastiness of the soup as it does for your body when you enjoy it.

If you’re looking for the carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and other foods richest in beta carotene, you’ll want to look for those deepest, brightest, and most vivid orange tones. In homemade soups, you want that rich deep color with the vibrancy that makes it look irresistible.

The Specific Benefits Of Beta Carotene

To break down what exactly makes beta carotene so great for the body, a few specific health points are:

  • Reducing the risk of macular degeneration – Beta carotene converted in the body to Vitamin A is particularly excellent for eye health. One study done in Korea found that beta carotene intake may help to reduce the risk of macular degeneration.
  • Improvement in cognitive function – There is some evidence that antioxidants like beta carotene may have a positive impact on memory and general cognitive function.
  • Maintaining youthful and healthy skin – Beta carotene is converted into Vitamin A by the body, and Vitamin A is a common and sought after ingredient in many skin care products. Sufficient Vitamin A may help the skin to protect itself from damage caused by UV rays as well as boosting potential anti-aging benefits.
  • May benefit bone health – Along with Vitamin D and calcium, Vitamin A has been shown to be important to bone health. Taking in sufficient beta carotene may be able to help to maintain strong and healthy bones.

Homemade soups rich in carrots, pumpkin, and other beta carotene containing ingredients aren’t just delicious, they’re also just what your body wants! Our SoLé SoupS homemade soups always use the freshest ingredients, so you get the most antioxidant goodness with each bite.