Co-consumption of eggs and salad increases absorption of carotenoid from raw vegetables
MONDAY, March 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Eating whole eggs with raw vegetables effectively increases carotenoid absorption, according to a study presented at the Experimental Biology 2015 meeting, held from March 28 to April 1 in Boston.
Jung Eun Kim, Ph.D., R.D., from Purdue University in East Lafayette, Ind., and colleague examined the effects of egg consumption on carotenoid absorption from a carotenoid-rich, raw mixed-vegetable salad. Sixteen healthy young males consumed the same salad served with 3 g canola oil with no egg, with 75 g scrambled whole egg (low egg), and with 150 g scrambled whole egg (high egg) in a randomized crossover design. Blood was collected hourly and triacylglycerol rich lipoprotein (TRL) fractions were isolated.
The researchers found that in the TRL fraction, total carotenoid area under the curve (AUC)0-10h was higher for the high-egg salad versus the low-egg and control salads. In addition, compared with low-egg and control salads, with the high-egg salad there were two- and five-fold increases in TRL AUC0-10h of lutein and zeaxanthin, and two- to four- and four- to nine-fold increases in TRL AUC0-10h of carotenoid beyond those found in egg such as α-carotene, β-carotene, and lycopene.
“Americans under consume vegetables, and here we have a way to increase the nutritive value of veggies while also receiving the nutritional benefits of egg yolks,” a coauthor said in a statement.
The study was partially funded by the American Egg Board.
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