Carotene

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Carotenes, a subgroup of the larger carotenoid group of chemicals, are hydrophobic, highly unsaturated compounds with a variety of beneficial health effects due to their antioxidant properties. Both $\alpha$ -carotene and $\beta$ -carotene are chemical precursors of vitamin A. They are structurally very similar to a number of other carotenoids including lutein, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin and lycopene.