Antioxidants - Beta-carotene

One of the most beneficial antioxidants you can take in, beta-carotene is commonly found in a variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as green plants, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, spinach, apricots, and green peppers.

Some of the health benefits that are seen with increased beta-carotene consumption include cataract prevention, the lowering of the incidence of chemotherapy toxicity in those receiving treatment, the prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the reduced rate of oxidative damage seen with those who have cystic fibrosis.

Furthermore, if you tend to suffer from exercise-induced asthma, regularly getting beta-carotene from your diet can really help to reduce the symptoms that are seen.

This antioxidant also provides a way to improve the immune system response, reducing your chances of becoming ill and will also help stop macular degeneration.

In order to meet your needs, it's recommended that you try to consume 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, as this will provide you with 6-8 milligrams of beta-carotene. You may also want to take it with some type of food that is slightly higher in dietary fat because it does require fat in order to be absorbed by the body properly.

Finally, if you are looking to use this antioxidant as a way to ensure you are getting sufficient vitamin A, then you should bump your intake up to about 1800 micrograms per day.