Lutein vs. Zeaxanthin — What's the Difference?

Lutein (; from Latin luteus meaning "yellow") is a xanthophyll and one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids. Lutein is synthesized only by plants, and like other xanthophylls is found in high quantities in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and yellow carrots.

Zeaxanthin is one of the most common carotenoids in nature, and is used in the xanthophyll cycle. Synthesized in plants and some micro-organisms, it is the pigment that gives paprika (made from bell peppers), corn, saffron, wolfberries, and many other plants and microbes their characteristic color.The name (pronounced zee-uh-zan'-thin) is derived from Zea mays (common yellow maize corn, in which zeaxanthin provides the primary yellow pigment), plus xanthos, the Greek word for "yellow" (see xanthophyll).

A yellow-orange xanthophyll carotenoid, C40H56O2, that occurs naturally in green plants and in the fat of plant-eating animals, egg yolk, the corpus luteum, and the retina, and that may help to prevent macular degeneration.

A yellow xanthophyll carotenoid, C40H56O2, that is found in yellow corn and in the leaves of many plants, in egg yolk, and in the retina, and that may help to prevent macular degeneration.

A dried preparation of corpus luteum.

(organic compound) A yellow crystalline carotenoid alcohol that occurs widely with lutein, with which it is isomeric, and is the chief pigment of maize

(organic compound) A yellow carotenoid pigment, widely distributed in both plants and animals.

Yellow carotenoid (isomeric with lutein and occurs widely with it) that is the main pigment in yellow indian corn

A substance of a strongly marked yellow color, extracted from the yolk of eggs, and from the tissue of the corpus luteum.

Yellow carotenoid pigments in plants and animal fats and egg yolks