Buah-buahan sumber Karotenoid

Buah-buahan banyak mengandung berbagai sumber nutrisi yang penting bagi tubuh kita. Selain mengandung karbohidrat (gula, serat pangan), mineral, buah buahan juga mengandung vitamin. Salah satu jenis vitamin yang dikandung oleh buah-buahan adalah karotenoid. Karotenoid merupakan senyawa yang terkandung dalam buah-buahan yang bertanggungjawab terhadap warna buah-buahan yang secara umum terkandung dalam kloroplas dan kromoplas. Karotenoid merupakan senyawa yang komplek sehingga ditemukan dalam berbagai macam bentuk struktur kimia saat ini telah berhasil diidentifikasi senyawa karotenoid lebih dari 600 jenis. Peranan karotenoid bagi tanaman adalah berpartisipasi dalam photosintesis dengan terlibat dalam proses transfer energi pada klorophil dan melindungi tanaman dari kelebihan paparan sinar matahari. 

Karotenoid yang terkandung dalam buah-buahan sangat bermanfaat bagi manusia, selain sebagai sumber vitamin A ada juga karotenoid berperan dalam pembentukan warna senyawa tersebut tidak dapat diubah menjadi vitamin A misalnya adalah likopen. Karotenoid juga dikenal sebagai sumber antioksidan  yang cukup kuat. Berikut ini buah buahan yang dikenal sebagai sumber karotenoid.

Ilustrasi:gudangkesehatan.com

1. Melon

Pada saat cuaca panas makan buah melon terasa segar, buah melon ternyata banyak mengandung karotenoid, setiap 100 g buah melon ternyata mengandung beta karoten yang sangat tinggi yaitu 2020 µg, alpha karoten 16 µg dan tidak mengadung likopen. Dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g buah melon memenuhi 68 % kebutuhan vitamin A harian.

2. Aggur merah

Ilustrasi :divineflavor.com

Buah anggur merupakan buah yang digunakan sebagai lambang kenikmatan, hal ini disebabkan rasa yang manis asam dan bahkan digunakan sebagai bahan baku wine. Anggur merah mengandung Beta-carotene 686μg, Lycopene 1419μg, dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g anggur dapat memenuhi 23 % kebutuhan vitamin A harian.

Ilustrasi: glarehouse.com

3. Mangga

Buah mangga adalah buah yang eksotis, dengan daging buah yang kuning kemerahan berasa manis dan segar merupakan buah sangat populer dan digemari oleh semua masyarakat. Pohon  mangga umumnya berbuah pada saat perubahan musim dari musim kemaru ke musim penghujan. Sekalipun demikian buah ini mulai dikembangkan  agar dapat berbuah diluar musim.  Buah mangga mengandung Beta-carotene 640μg,  Alpha-carotene 9μg, dan Lycopene 3μg, dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g mangga dapat memenuhi 22 % kebutuhan vitamin A harian.

ilustrasi: perawatkulitmu.com

4. Pepaya    

Buah pepaya sering dikenal sebagai buah yang sangat berguna bagi orang-orang yang menderita sakit sulit BAB atau konstipasi. Buah pepaya berwarna merah mengandung Beta carotene 274 μg, likopen 1828μg, dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g pepaya dapat memenuhi kebutuhan vitamin A harian sebesar 19 %.

Ilustrasi: anneahira.com

5. Tomat

Buah tomat kadang juga berperan sebagai sayuran dalam menu harian kita. Disadari atau tidak mengkonsumsi buah tomat sudah menjadi bagian hidup kita, berbagai macam menu makanan mulai dari sop, soto, sambal, asam padeh, pindang palembang, sampai untuk minuman seperti juice tomat. 100 g tomat merah mengandung beta karoten 449 µg dan alpha karoten 101 µg dan likopen 2573μg sedang untuk tomat hijau mengandung beta karoten 346 µg dan 78 µg dan tidak mengandung likopen. Dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g tomat dapat memenuhi 17 % kebutuhan vitamin A harian.

ilustrasi: jaringnews.com

6. Jambu biji

Jambu biji merupakan buah yang baik untuk dikonsumsi buah ini mengandung beta karoten 374μg dan likopen 5204μg. dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g jambu biji dapat memenuhi 12 % kebutuhan vitamin A harian. Jambu biji dapat digunakan untuk mengobati sakit diare yang telah dikenal secara turun temurun oleh masyarakat. Akibat samping dari banyak mengkonsumsi jambu biji umumnya adalah timbulnya konstipasi.

ilustrasi : manfaatobatherbal.com

7. Semangka

Daging buah yang berwarna merah dan rasanya yang manis dan berair membuat buah ini sangat cocok dikonsumsi disaat udara panas disiang hari. Buah semangka mengandung beta-carotene 303μg, dan lycopene 4532μg, dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g semangka dapat memenuhi kebutuhan vitamin A harian sebesar 11 %.

ilustrasi:sunpride.co.id

8. Jeruk 

Jeruk jenis navel orange berasa manis merupakan buah yang sangat disuka oleh masyarakat Indonesia, tersedia dari warung buah kaki lima sampai dengan super market yang besar. Jeruk navel dikenal sebagai sumber vitamin C dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g dapat memenuhi 99% kebutuhan vitamin C harian. Sekalipun demikian buah ini juga mengandung  beta-carotene, dan alpha-carotene masing-masing sebesar 87μg dan 7μg, dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g jeruk brastagi dapat memenuhi 5 % kebutuhan vitamin A harian.

ilust. sitkes.com

9. Pisang

Buah yang satu ini adalah buah yang enak dimakan sebagai hidangan penutup. 100 g buah pisang mengandung 25 dan 26 µg alpha dan beta karoten. dengan mengkonsumsi 100 g pisang dapat memenuhi 1 % kebutuhan vitamin A harian.

Tentunya buah-buahan yang lain masih banyak sebagai sumber karoten, sebagai gambaran karotenoid bertanggung jawab terhadap warna kuning sampai pink dari tumbuh-tumbuhan. 

Phytochemical Properties of Citrus

Southeast-ern Asia is the center of origin of citrus ( Blench, 2008), where it originated in the area between India, South China and Indonesia (Timmer et al. 2003). Today, citrus is cultivated in the subtropical and tropical regions of the world. The most commonly propagated citrus species are sweet orange (C. sinensis), mandarin (C. reticulata), grapefruit (C. paradisi ), calamondin (C. mitis), citron ( C. medica), wild orange (C. macroptera ), lemon (C. limon), Kaffir lime ( C. hystrix), pummelo (C. grandis ), sour orange (C. aurantium ) and  lime (C. Aurantifolia) (Manner et al. 2006). Some species, such as sweet orange and lemon, grow best in the subtropics, whereas limes and pommelo are produced primarily in the lowland tropics (Timmer et al. 2003). Although sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) is the major fruit in this group accounting for about 70% of citrus output (Okwu,2008).

Sweet orange (kebunjerukkeprok.blogspot.com)

Citrus  is consumed as a fresh fruit and as processed product, and is unique taste.  Citrus are rich of phytochemical compounds such as ascorbic acid, flavonoids, limonoids, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, glucarates, monoterpenes and pectins. Phytochemicals can be defined as substances found in edible fruits and vegetables that, daily ingested, may exhibit a potential for modulating human metabolism in a manner favourable for the prevention of chronic and degenerative diseases. Those phytochemicals react by different mechanism by maintaining cellular oxidation-reduction balance, protecting cells against free radical mechanism, chelating of heavy metals, direct detoxification of xenobiotics, control of membran permeability and by unkown mechanism. 

As a example, investigation breast cancer have identified oxidation damage, action of hormones and the action of kinds prostaglandins as promotors of neoplastic proliferation see the Figure 1 (Pierson, 1992). Figure 1 also shows the influence of phytochemicals diet against cancer.

Figure 1: Breast cancer promotion and phytochemicals mechanism to protect
(Pierson 1992 in Ngy and Atawi, 1992)

This are some phytochemicals properties of citrus

1. Carotenoids

Carotenoids concentration and composition vary greatly among citrus varieties and depend on the growing conditions (Gross, 1987) carotenoid accumulated on maturation process, but concentration of carotenoids was highly regulated by the coordination among the expression of the carotenoid biosynthetic genes(Kato, et.al, 2004). There are two type of carotenoids base on its solubility i.e.  Carotene and Xantophylls. Carotene (i.e. β-carotene,α-carotene, lycopene, ect.)   has more soluble on non polar solution and xantophylls ( i.e lutein, zeaxanthin, ect.)  has more soluble on polar solution like water. Some carotenoids serve as precursors for vitamin A, which is essential to human and animal diets, and as antioxidants, which play a role in reducing the risk of certain forms of cancer (Olson, 1989).

2. Ascorbic acid

Ascorbic acid also known as Vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid and watersoluble vitamin, found especially in citrus fruits and vegetables. It is synthesized by most organisms from glucose but man and other primates and various other species must obtain it from their diet. Ascorbic acid is required in the synthesis of collagen in connective tissues, neurotransmitters, steroid hormones, carnitine, and conversion of cholesterol to bile acid and enhances iron bio-availability. Ascorbic acid is a great antioxidant and helps to protect the body against pollutants. It is also a biological reducing agent linked to prevention of degenerative disease such as cataracts, certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases (Igwe, 2014). Ascorbic acid is widely used as antioxidant in frozen fruits, canned meat, beverages, beer and other food items.

3. Flavonoids
Based on molecular structure flavonoids are divided into six classes: flavones, flavanones, flavonols, isoflavones,anthocyanidins and flavanols. The main chemical structures of some flavonoids isolated from Citrus fruits their structures (flavanone, flavone, or flavonol) and their chemical groups.The main flavonoids found in citrus species are hesperidine, narirutin, naringin and eriocitrin (Mouly et al., 1994; Schieber et al., 2001)
4. Limonoids
These water-insoluble aglycones are usually responsible for the bitter taste of citrus juices. More than seventeen limonoid glycosides were also reported so far. Limonoid glycosides are not bitter in taste and freely soluble in water. Beside their economic importance in the processing of citrus fruits, limonoids have a wide array of interesting biological activities. Limonoids are gaining more current interest as potential anticancer agents. Limonoids are reported to inhibit chemically-induced tumorigenesis formation in the mouth, stomach, small intestine, colon, lung, and skin of experimental animals (Champagne et al., 1992; Berhow et al., 2000). They also reported to inhibit proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro (Berhow et al., 2000) and moult activity in mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus larvae (Jayaprakasha et al., 1997). Obacunone and limonin, the known citrus limonoids, were recently reported to inhibit azomethane-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats (Tanaka et al., 2000).

5. Phenolic acid
Based on two basic structure, hidroxycinnamic with R1, R2, R3 variation and hidroxybenzoic with R1, R2, R3, and R4 variation of tails radical. The major phenolic acid found in juice of coated tangerine was identified as ferulic acid followed by sinapic, caffeic and p-coumaric acid (Puttongsiri, and Haruenkit  2010). Phenolic acid well known of antioxidant activity by donor hydrogen mechanism.

6. Glucarates
Calcium-D-glucarate has been shown to inhibit beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme involved in phase II liver detoxification. Elevated beta-glucuronidase activity is associated with an increased risk for various cancers, particularly hormone-dependent cancers such as breast cancer. In this pathway, glucuronic acid is attached to certain toxins as well as hormones such as estrogen to facilitate their removal by excreting them via bile into the intestinal tract (Bruno).

Refferences:
Berhow M. A., Hasegawa S., and Manners G. D. (2000), Citrus Limonoids Ð Functional Chemicals in Agriculture and Food. Berhow and Hasegawa, American Chemical Society, Washington DC

Blench, 2008, A history of fruits on the Southeast Asian mainland Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan

Bruno, G. Detoxification: The Role of the Liver & Nutraceutical Support, http://www.hchs.edu/sites/default/files/files/Detoxifiction.pdf

Champagne D. E., Koul O., Isman M. B., Scudder G. E., and Towers G. H. N. (1992), Biological activity of limonoids from Rutales. Phytochemistry 31

Gross J (1987) Carotenoids: Pigments in Fruits. Academic Press, London

Igwe, OU, 2014, Quantitative Estimation of Ascorbic Acid Levels in Citrus Fruits at Variable Temperatures and Physicochemical Properties International Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, 5.

Jayaprakasha G. K., Singh R. P., Pereira J., and Sakariah K. K. (1997), Limonoids from Citrus reticulata and  their moult inhibiting activity in mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. Phytochemistry 44, 843 - 846.

Kato, M, IkomaY ,  Matsumoto H , Sugiura, Mi , Hyodo, H and Yano, M 2004, Accumulation of Carotenoids and Expression of Carotenoid Biosynthetic Genes during Maturation in Citrus Fruit, Plant Physiogy American Society of Plant Biologists

Ledesma, N, Nutrition & Breast Cancer, http://cancer.ucsf.edu//_docs/crc/nutrition_breast.pdf

Manner, H.I., Buker, R.S., Easton Smith, V. & Elevitch, C.R. 2006 Citrus species (citrus), ver. 2.1. In: Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry. Permanent Agriculture Resources (PAR) (ed. C.R. Elevitch). Ho¯lualoa, Hawaii. http://www.traditionaltree.org

Mouly PP, Arzouyan CR, Gaydou EM and Estienne JM, 1994, Differentiation of citrus juices by factorial discriminant analysis using liquid chromatography of flavonone glycosides. J. Agric. Food Chem., 42: 70-79.

Okwu, D. E. 2008 Citrus fruit: a rich source of phytochemicals and their roles in human health, Int. J. Chem. Sci.: 6(2)

Olson JA (1989) Provitamin-A function of carotenoids: the conversion of β -carotene into vitamin-A. J Nutr 119: 105–108

Puttongsiri T   and Haruenkit R.,  2010, Changes in Ascorbic Acid, Total Polyphenol, Phenolic Acids and Antioxidant Activity in Juice Extracted from Coated Kiew Wan Tangerine During Storage at 4, 12 and 20°C Kasetsart J. (Nat. Sci.) 44 : 280 - 289

Schieber A, Stintzing FC and Carle R (2001). Byproducts of plant food processing as a source of
functional compounds - recent developments. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 12: 401-413.

Tanaka T., Kohno H., Tsukio Y., Honjo S., Tanino M.,  Miyake M., and Wada K. (2000), Citrus limonoids obacunone and limonin inhibit azomethane-induced  colon carcinogenesis in rats. Biofactors 13, 213-218

Timmer L.W., Garnsey S.M. and Broadbent P. (2003) Diseases of citrus. In: Diseases of Tropical Fruit Crops (ed. R.C. Ploetz), pp. 197–226. CAB International, London.