Beta carotene is a pigment in all fruits and vegetables, and carrots and sweet potatoes are particularly rich sources.Various findings indicate that people with high blood levels of beta carotene tend to have lower serum concentrations of the “bad” cholesterol that causes atherosclerosis — narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
As a result, they have a lower risk of ischemic heart disease, which is the most common cause of death worldwide.The molecular mechanisms that link beta carotene to lower blood cholesterol levels are poorly understood, however.Now, two new studies have discovered that the body needs an active version of a certain enzyme to reap the full benefits of beta carotene for cardiovascular health.The enzyme.