Lutein
A yellow-orange plant pigment used in food and supplements
No single value: Lutein is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, yellow.
![Space-filling model of the lutein molecule, a compound used by plants to protect themselves from intense light]. Color code: Carbon, C: black Hydrogen, H: white Oxygen, O: red](https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Lutein_molecule_spacefill.png/1280px-Lutein_molecule_spacefill.png)
Lutein is a yellow pigment made by plants and belongs to the xanthophyll group of carotenoids. It gives colour to many green vegetables and some yellow or orange foods, and is used as a food additive and in dietary supplements, especially for eye health.
- Lutein is found in spinach, kale, and marigold petals
- It gives a yellow to orange-red colour depending on concentration
- Used as a food additive (E161b) and in dietary supplements
- Birds use lutein to colour their feathers
- Extracted mainly from Mexican marigold for commercial use
What colour is Lutein?
Lutein is a yellow pigment found in many plants, especially in leafy greens and some yellow or orange vegetables. It belongs to the xanthophyll family, which is a subgroup of carotenoids. Lutein is responsible for the yellow to orange-red hues in certain foods and is also present in the tissues of some birds, giving colour to their feathers. Its colour can range from yellow at lower amounts to orange-red when more concentrated.
Where does Lutein come from?
The name lutein comes from the Latin word for yellow, 'luteus'. Plants are the only natural source of lutein, which they produce as part of their normal growth. Humans and animals cannot make it themselves and must get it by eating plants or foods that contain it. Lutein is closely related to zeaxanthin, another plant pigment, and the two can be changed into each other in the body.
How is Lutein made?
Lutein is extracted from plants, most often from the petals of the Mexican marigold. In plants, it is usually attached to fatty acids, so it is separated using a process called saponification. The pigment is then purified for use in food, supplements, or animal feed. It is not made by animals or by synthetic means for commercial use.
Where Lutein is used
Lutein is added to foods as a colouring agent, especially in products where a yellow or orange shade is wanted. It is also used in supplements aimed at supporting eye health. In animal feed, it helps give colour to egg yolks and the flesh of farmed fish. Some birds use lutein from their diet to colour their feathers.
Yellow around the world
What the yellow family means from country to country.
The yellow disc of the Aboriginal flag is the sun, giver of life. The flag was designed by the Luritja artist Harold Thomas and first flown in Adelaide in 1971.
Sacred and holySource: Australian Aboriginal flagA yellow ribbon tied round a tree or pinned to a coat means someone is waiting for a loved one to come home. It spread during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979 to 1981.
Protection and healingLove and desireHopeSource: Yellow ribbonSchool buses across the country are painted one shade of yellow, agreed at a conference in 1939 because black lettering on it is easy to read in early morning light.
Protection and healingSource: School bus yellowAt the gaye holud, held a day or two before a wedding, relatives rub turmeric paste on the bride and groom. Guests dress in yellow and orange.
Weddings and marriageFestival and celebrationJoySource: Gaye holudOn Pohela Falgun, the first day of spring, young women wear yellow and orange saris, a shade called basanti, with flowers in their hair.
Festival and celebrationNature and renewalJoySource: Pohela FalgunThe Flemish flag is a black lion on yellow, and the Walloon flag a red cockerel on yellow. The language communities are often shown by these colours.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of FlandersShades and relatives of Lutein
Lutein and zeaxanthin are very similar in structure, with only a slight difference in the position of a double bond. Both are yellow pigments and can be converted into each other in the body. At higher concentrations, lutein appears more orange-red. It is sometimes confused with other carotenoids, but its specific structure and sources set it apart.
Questions people ask about Lutein
What colour is lutein?
Lutein is a pigment that appears yellow at lower amounts and can look orange-red when more concentrated.
Where does the name lutein come from?
The name comes from the Latin word 'luteus', meaning yellow, which describes its colour.
Where is lutein found in nature?
It is made by plants and is found in high amounts in leafy greens like spinach and kale, as well as in yellow carrots and marigold petals.
What is lutein used for?
It is used as a colouring agent in foods, as a dietary supplement for eye health, and in animal feed to colour egg yolks and farmed fish.
Is lutein essential for humans?
No, neither the U.S. nor European authorities consider lutein an essential nutrient, and there is no recommended dietary allowance.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Lutein", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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