Lutein and Zeaxanthin in Food and in Supplements Compared

Lutein and zeaxanthin amounts in common foods, how fat, cooking and form affect absorption, and what is and is not known about food versus supplements for the eyes.

Content last updated October 22, 2026. This page has not been medically reviewed.

Quick answer

Lutein and zeaxanthin occur naturally in leafy greens, some other vegetables, pistachios and eggs. [1] No trial we found compares a food-based approach with a supplement on vision or macular degeneration outcomes, so there is no documented winner. This page compares what is known about amounts, absorption and safety. For the eye evidence itself see Lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health.

Foods: amounts per 100 g

A 2017 review by Australian dietitians (Nutrients) compiled these values. Its article says it was funded by an egg industry body that did not edit it, so treat the egg comments with that in mind. [1] Values are micrograms (mcg) of lutein plus zeaxanthin combined per 100 g of food. A typical serving is not given in the review, so no serving column is shown.

Food	Lutein + zeaxanthin (mcg per 100 g)	Source and year
Kale, cooked	18,246	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Spinach, raw	12,197	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Spinach, cooked	11,308	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Parsley	5,562	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Green peas, boiled	2,593	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Romaine lettuce	2,313	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Brussels sprouts, boiled	1,541	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Pistachio nuts, raw	1,404	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Egg yolk, raw	1,094	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Broccoli, cooked	1,079	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Egg, whole, hard-boiled	353	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Avocado	270	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]
Orange	129	Eisenhauer et al. 2017 [1]

Two cautions on these numbers. First, values differ between food tables: the same review's second table lists cooked kale at 8,884 and cooked spinach at 12,640 mcg of lutein per 100 g. [1] Second, most vegetable sources contain only lutein, while corn and eggs contain both lutein and zeaxanthin, and orange pepper is higher in zeaxanthin. [1] More on greens and tomatoes: leafy greens.

Absorption: what studies describe

Fat at the same meal. Fat from dressing, cooking oil or whole eggs has been shown to increase absorption of some carotenoids. [1]
Cooking. Heat lowers carotenoid content but may still improve bioavailability compared with raw foods, according to the review. [1]
Competition and fibre. Carotenoids can compete with each other for absorption in one meal, and fibre such as pectin reduced absorption in studies. [1]
Eggs. Eggs have far less than leafy greens, but the review reports higher bioavailability from eggs, probably because of their fat. [1] One egg a day for five weeks raised blood lutein by 26% and zeaxanthin by 38% in a study the review cites. [1]
Dietary versus supplement response. A 2023 meta-regression found macular pigment rose along with blood lutein, but that association was absent for dietary intake, which the authors link to bioavailability. [2]

Supplements: forms and differences

Source. Marigold flowers are the main commercial source of lutein for supplements, mostly as lutein esters. [3]
Free versus ester. In a crossover study of 24 healthy adults taking 6 mg of lutein a day from marigold extract for two months, serum lutein rose similarly with the free and ester forms. [3]
Formulation. Two beadlet formulations of 20 mg lutein in a single-dose crossover study of 48 volunteers produced different blood levels, and the authors concluded bioavailability depends on formulation. [4] Blood levels are a biomarker, not an eye outcome.
Study amounts. Trials used lutein 10 mg plus zeaxanthin 2 mg a day (AREDS2, people with intermediate AMD). [5] A review of macular pigment in healthy eyes found no significant change below 5 mg a day of total lutein plus zeaxanthin, mostly from dietary interventions. [6] These are study findings, not advice.
Official intake figures. No RDA, adequate intake or upper limit for lutein or zeaxanthin is described in the sources we read. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements could not be read this session.

Head-to-head evidence

Proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for trials comparing food with supplements for lutein and zeaxanthin and found review articles on macular pigment and bioavailability, not a trial of eye disease outcomes comparing the two. Observational studies of foods cannot show that a pill would work the same way. [9]

Frequently asked questions

Which foods have the most lutein?

In the review's table, cooked kale and raw or cooked spinach were highest, followed by parsley, peas and romaine. Values differ between food tables. [1]

Do eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin?

Yes, both, though less per 100 g than leafy greens. The review reports they may be absorbed well because of egg fat. [1]

Is a supplement better than food?

Proper evidence not found. No trial we found compared the two on eye disease outcomes. [2]

Does adding oil to a salad help?

The review describes fat at the same meal as increasing absorption of some carotenoids. [1]

Is marigold extract different from other lutein?

Marigold is the main source of supplement lutein, mostly as esters, and one small study found no difference in serum response between free and ester forms. [3]

More details: evidence, limits and cautions

The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.

Safety and cautions

Warfarin and vitamin K. MedlinePlus lists green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, parsley and romaine among vitamin K foods, and says people taking the blood thinner warfarin may need to eat the same amount of vitamin K-containing foods every day, because sudden changes can matter. [7] Do not change the medicine or your diet on your own; ask your clinician or pharmacist. See vitamin K.
Smokers and beta-carotene. Eye supplements may contain beta-carotene, which raised lung cancer risk in smokers; lutein/zeaxanthin did not significantly do so in the AREDS2 follow-up. [8] See the ATBC and CARET trials.
Pregnancy, children and other medicines. The NCCIH advises talking to a provider if pregnant, nursing or giving a child a supplement, and notes that supplements may interact with medicines. [9] Specific lutein cautions were not described in the sources we read. See medication interactions.
Quality. Check what is in a product with reading supplement labels and quality testing.

References

Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.