Consumers often ask whether the immune and gut health benefits of BeniCaros® can be obtained eating carrots. After all, this award-winning functional food, beverage and supplement ingredient, scientifically known as Rhamnogalacturonan-I or RG-I, is naturally found in the cell wall of carrots.

The question reflects two major trends. Consumers are placing greater importance on immune health and gut health, which they are looking to boost through nutrition. There is a growing preference for plant-based diets that include a variety of fruits and vegetables like carrots, which are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients.

NutriLeads unlocks ‘hidden’ carrot fiber value

BeniCaros satisfies both goals in a way that diet alone cannot.  While eating carrots is certainly beneficial for overall health, a person would need to eat seven carrots per day or more than 200 carrots a month to obtain the benefits of one 300 milligram daily recommended serving of BeniCaros. This presumes the carrots are first boiled for many hours to break down cell structures to release RG-I and make it accessible to the gut immune system. Even then, it is unknown how much RG-I would be available to the body using this crude extraction method.

One advantage of dietary supplementation is that it enables people to strengthen their bodies with clinically beneficially servings of functional ingredients that diet alone cannot provide. In the case of BeniCaros, randomized clinical research shows that only 300 mgs of this natural, soluble prebiotic fiber from upcycled carrot pomace significantly supports immune health in two ways. 

BeniCaros trains innate immune cells to respond more quickly and it increases beneficial gut microorganisms and their metabolites that play a critical role in supporting a host of immune responses. BeniCaros initiates these immune benefits in the gut as it is ‘sensed’ by specialized immune cells making them more alert and later as it is fermented by the gut microbiota resulting in immune supportive metabolites.

The bioactivity of BeniCaros is possible because of a natural proprietary extraction method that unlocks this complex carbohydrate from the carrot cell wall.  Freed RG-I is recognized by immune cells, training them for future action, and provides nourishment for healthy gut microorganisms that support immune health.

So, the easiest way for consumers to enjoy the benefits of RG-I is through BeniCaros-enriched foods, beverages or supplements.