It’s important to get plenty of beta-carotene from our diet, but supplements are another story. Experts at Mount Sinai report how some research has shown that beta-carotene supplements may oppositely increase one’s risk for cancer, particularly lung cancer in people who smoke. One possible explanation for this connection is that dietary sources of beta-carotene tend to offer greater protection against cell damage than supplements.
Butter is just one of many dairy products, and the relationship between dairy consumption and cancer risk is still in need of further research. This is particularly true when it comes to different types of cancers. For example, WebMD states that the beta-carotene in butter may help lower one’s risk of lung cancer or prostate cancer, but some experts say the opposite when it comes to dairy. “We have some evidence that shows a stronger correlation with dairy consumption and prostate cancer development,” Dr. Meroë Morse of MD Anderson’s Integrative Medicine Center tells MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Morse adds that dairy may instead be more effective in protecting against breast and colorectal cancer.