Written by Julia Crab Saturday, 19 November 2005

Zeaxanthin is an important precursor to astaxanthin, the carotenoid crustaceans need most to regulate their body systems. If astaxanthin is hard to come by, then zeaxanthin is the substance that coenobita need most. Beta carotene, while a valuable carotenoid, is not used as efficiently by crabs and is not of as much dietary use as zeaxanthin is.

The following lists are of zeaxanthin-containing foods. There are three lists, one each for foods containing high, moderate, and low or trace amounts of this important substance. They are partial and will be updated as new information comes in. Feed from these lists several times a week — daily access to zeaxanthin is recommended.


High Levels
Bell pepper, orange
Broccoli
Cilantro
Collards
Corn, yellow
Corn meal
Dandelion greens
Egg yolk
grape leaves
Lettuce, cos or romaine
Parsley (raw)
Peas
Spirulina

Moderate Levels
Avocado
Beans, snap
Bell pepper, green or red
Blackberries
Brussels sprouts
Carrots
Chard, Swiss
Flax seed
Green leaf lettuce
Kale
Mandarin
Orange
Papaya
Persimmon, Japanese (raw)
Raspberry
Tangerine
Zucchini

Low or Trace Levels
Almonds
Apples
Barley
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumber
Star fruit (carambola)