Carotenoids are oil-soluble plant pigments that act as antioxidants. They can be converted to vitamin A by the body. A cross-sectional study, appearing in Public Health Nutrition (2006; 9(4): 472-9) looked at the relationship between carotenoid levels and allergic rhinitis in 547 adults. The blood level of six carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin) were measured. In addition, vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol, and gamma-tocopherol were measured. High levels of carotenoids were associated with a lower incidence of allergic rhinitis. No such relationship existed for the vitamin C and the tocopherols. Carotenoids are found in fresh produce, so eating plenty of fresh produce may be beneficial to allergy sufferers.

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