HealthJuly 10, 2026

carotenoid

/kəˈrɒtɪnɔɪd/

Definition

A type of yellow, orange, or red pigment naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables that serves as a biological marker for dietary intake.

Etymology

The word is derived from the word 'carotene,' which comes from the Latin 'carota' (carrot), combined with the suffix '-oid,' meaning 'resembling' or 'having the form of.' It was coined to describe these specific plant pigments that give many vegetables their characteristic vibrant colors.

In the news

In the study, researchers use a device called a Veggie Meter to detect carotenoids in a participant's skin, acting as a non-invasive way to measure how much produce is in their diet. This helps the team correlate specific nutritional habits with the health outcomes of pregnant women.

Study aims to understand how nutrition can help pregnant women, their babies harvest health

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