Which statement about beta-carotene is true?

• A. It is a water-soluble vitamin
• B. It is the only form of vitamin A in the body
• C. It is a precursor to vitamin A found in colorful fruits and vegetables
• D. It is synthesized in the human body

Answer: (C)

Beta-carotene is a provitamin A carotenoid, meaning the body can convert it into vitamin A as needed. It’s found in colorful fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and mangoes. Because it is fat-soluble, absorption happens best when eaten with dietary fat. In the body, beta-carotene is converted in the intestinal lining and liver to retinol, the active form of vitamin A, so it serves as a vitamin A source only after that conversion. It’s not the only vitamin A form in the body—retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid are also used. Humans do not synthesize beta-carotene themselves; it must come from the diet, with conversion to vitamin A occurring afterward.