Lycored Survey Shows Consumer Awareness of Carotenoid Benefits

06 Jul 2017 --- Research by Lycored has found that European consumers have a high awareness of carotenoids as well as the specific skin health benefits of tomatoes. The global wellness company surveyed 329 UK dietary supplement users aged 50 or over who took supplements at least once a week and found that the majority (92 percent) had heard of antioxidants and more than half (52 percent) had heard of carotenoids.

Nearly four in ten (38 percent) had heard of lycopene – one of the tomato-derived carotenoids in Lycoderm, Lycored’s supplement-ready skincare blend.

Moreover, there was also high awareness of the specific health benefits of tomatoes, particularly for the skin. Over half (53 percent) knew that nutrients in tomatoes have benefits for skin health.

Forty-five percent were aware there were benefits for cardiovascular health, while 39 percent of the men surveyed knew about the benefits for prostate health. Over a quarter of the women surveyed (26 percent) were aware that nutrients found in tomatoes have benefits for health during the menopause.

The findings are published ahead of the International Symposium on Carotenoids, which takes place between 9 and 14 July in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The research is supported by another Lycored survey of 480 consumers (240 in France and 240 in the UK) who had purchased a skincare product over the past 12 months.
Sixty-two percent of those surveyed knew that antioxidants offered benefits for skin health. There was also high awareness of the importance of nutrition for healthy skin, with 43 percent considering diet the most important factor for skin health, compared to avoiding too much sun exposure (22 percent), living a stress-free life (18 percent) and exercise (15 percent).

“We’re passionate about the health benefits of carotenoids, so it’s fantastic that consumer awareness is so high. As a company that has always been inspired by the many health-bringing properties of the tomato, we’re particularly excited about the findings on lycopene. We’ve seen how it can positively impact on health, and with name recognition so high, we believe lycopene will become increasingly sought after as an ingredient in supplements,” comments Zev Ziegler, Head of Global Brand & Marketing, Health at Lycored.