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Title: Closer to clarity on the effect of lipid consumption on fat-soluble vitamin and carotenoid absorption: do we need to close in further?

Author
item MORAN, NANCY - CHILDREN'S NUTRITION RESEARCH CENTER (CNRC)
item JOHNSON, ELIZABETH - CHILDREN'S NUTRITION RESEARCH CENTER (CNRC)

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/28/2017
Publication Date: 9/13/2017
Citation: Moran, N.E., Johnson, E.J. 2017. Closer to clarity on the effect of lipid consumption on fat-soluble vitamin and carotenoid absorption: do we need to close in further?. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.117.165894.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Orange, red, yellow, and dark green vegetables serve as important sources of a number of dietary bioactive phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals, including 3 of 4 fat-soluble vitamins (FSVs): vitamins E and K, and pro-vitamin A carotenoids. Indeed, according to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), "Healthy eating patterns include a variety of vegetables from all of the 5 vegetable subgroups—dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and other. These include all fresh, frozen, canned, and dried options in cooked or raw forms, including vegetable juices. The recommended amount of vegetables in the Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern at the 2,000-calorie level is 2.5 cup-equivalents of vegetables per day." However, carotenoid bioavailability from raw vegetables, such as spinach and carrots, tends to be low (e.g. beta-carotene is generally 5-10%), which suggests that these foods present a unique challenge as a source of FSVs. To exacerbate this, Americans consume fewer than the DGA-recommended serving of vegetables, which is particularly concerning for certain groups, such as non-Hispanic black women of child-bearing age and women living in poverty, who have greater odds of vitamin A insufficiency. Non-provitamin A carotenoids may also confer other benefits related to chronic disease prevention. Thus, strategies to extract the greatest benefit from whatever vegetables are consumed make sense.