Breeding Better Broccoli: Research Points To Pumped Up Lutein Levels In Broccoli

Plant carotenoids are the most important source of vitamin A in the human diet and are considered to be valuable antioxidants capable of protecting humans from chronic diseases including macular degeneration, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Researchers investigating the carotenoid content of field-grown broccoli discovered that when it comes to breeding broccoli, lutein levels were linked to the plants’ genetics; the environment in which the vegetables were grown had little effect on carotenoid production.