Another sound approach to living a longer life is to include an abundance of plant foods containing alpha-carotene.  In a study of 15,318 adults followed over a 14 year period, the risk of death from heart disease, cancer and all other causes was 39 percent lower for those with the highest blood levels of alpha-carotene vs. those with the lowest.  Alpha-carotene is a member of the carotenoid family of plant chemicals and functions in the body as a potent antioxidant and a precursor of vitamin A.  Here are the foods that contain the most alpha-carotene.  (Archives of Internal Medicine, March 2011)