7 Health Benefits Of Carrots

Carrot is a root that is an excellent source of carotenoids, potassium, fiber and antioxidants, which provide various health benefits. In addition to taking care of visual health, they also help prevent early aging, improve the immune system and could prevent some types of cancers. 

This vegetable can be consumed raw, cooked or in juice and can be found in different colors: yellow, orange, red, purple and white. The main difference between them lies in their composition, the most common which is the orange is rich mainly in alpha and beta carotene, sources of provitamin A, in the case of the yellow have a higher concentration of lutein, the red, are rich in a potent antioxidant called lycopene and finally the purple, which are rich in anthocyanins.

7 health benefits of carrots

Some health benefits of consuming carrots are:

1. Improve digestion

Carrot is rich in soluble and insoluble fibers such as pectin, cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose, these help fight constipation because they increase the volume of stool, in addition to this, decrease intestinal transit and help stimulate the multiplication and activity of good bacteria for the intestine.

2. Prevent early aging and cancer

Because it is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin A and polyphenols, it prevents cell damage caused by free radicals, preventing not only early aging, but also reducing the risk of cancer, such as lung, breast and stomach cancer. It also has a substance called falcarinol, which could reduce the risk of colon cancer.

3. Maintain your tan and take care of your skin

Consuming carrots during the summer could help maintain your tan for longer, because beta-carotene and lutein stimulate skin pigmentation, favoring its natural tan. In addition to this, beta-carotene could exert a protective effect against UV rays, however, its effectiveness will depend on the amount ingested before sun exposure. The intake of 100 g of carrot juice provides 9.2 mg of beta-carotene and cooked carrot provides 5.4 mg.

4. Help to lose weight

Including carrot daily in meals helps to increase satiety, because 1 medium raw carrot provides about 3.2 grams of fiber. In addition to this, it provides few calories, being able to be included in salads both raw and cooked, however, by itself does not fulfill this effect, so it should be included in a diet low in calories, fats and sugars. 

In addition to this, raw carrots have a low glycemic index (GI), so it keeps blood sugar under control and this in turn promotes weight loss, besides being an excellent choice for diabetics. In the case of cooked or mashed carrots, the GI is medium, being a little higher. 

5. Protect vision

Carrot is rich in beta-carotenes, precursor substances of vitamin A. In the case of yellow carrots containing lutein, they could exert a protective action against macular degeneration and cataracts.

6. Strengthen the immune system

The vitamin A present in carrots could improve the anti-inflammatory response of the organism, due to its antioxidant effect. In addition to this, it stimulates defense cells, helping to strengthen the immune system. The consumption of carrots could also improve the defense mechanism of the oral mucosa, increase the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and help maintain the morphology of the cells, being important to remember that the gastrointestinal tract is a key part of the immune system. 

7. Protect against cardiovascular diseases

The beta-carotenes present in carrots protect the organism avoiding the appearance of cardiovascular diseases, due to the fact that it inhibits the oxidation process of LDL cholesterol and modifies its absorption at intestinal level thanks to its fiber content.

Nutritional information

The table below shows the nutritional composition per 100 g of carrots both raw and cooked:

Recipes with carrots

Carrots can be consumed raw in salads or juices, or cooked, and can be added in cakes, soups and stews to prepare meat or fish. To obtain these benefits, it is important to consume at least 1 carrot daily.

It is important to mention that the absorption of beta-carotene is more effective when the carrot is cooked, so it is possible to alternate between raw and cooked. 

1. Carrot pancakes

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs;
  • 1 cup almond flour;
  • 1 cup oat flour;
  • 1/4 cup coconut or canola oil;
  • 1/2 cup sweetener or 1 cup masticating sugar;
  • 2 cups grated carrots;
  • 1 handful crushed walnuts;
  • 1 tsp baking powder;
  • 1 tsp cinnamon;
  • 1 tsp vanilla.

    • How to prepare

    Preheat the oven to 180ºC. In a bowl you must mix the eggs, oil, sweetener or mascabada sugar and vanilla. Add the almond flour and oat flour, mixing in an enveloping way. Add and mix in the grated carrot, baking powder, cinnamon and crushed walnuts.

    Place the mixture in a silicone muffin tin or muffin tins and bake for 30 minutes.

    2. Roasted carrot pâté with feta cheese

  • 500 g carrot peeled and cut into thick rounds;
  • 100 mL extra virgin olive oil;
  • 1 tsp cumin;
  • 115 g feta cheese or fresh goat cheese;
  • Salt and pepper to taste;
  • 1 bunch chopped fresh coriander.

    • How to prepare

    Preheat the oven to 200 º C. Place the carrots on a tray with the olive oil, cover with a piece of aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. At the end of this time, sprinkle over the carrots the cumin and leave in the oven for another 15 minutes or until soft.

    Next, you should mash the carrots with a fork and mix them with the olive oil, or you can blend them into a puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add diced feta cheese on top and chopped cilantro.

    3. Vegetable juice with carrots

    Ingredients

  • 5 medium carrots;
  • 1 small apple;
  • 1/2 medium beet.

    • How to prepare

    Wash carrots, apple and beet well, chop into small pieces and blend. 

    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    Working out with a cut finger on the gym: What should you do?

    Image
    You’re looking to get your body in shape, and maybe even lose some weight. You’ve been working hard at it for months now and so far you’ve had good results. But then this morning while shaving you nicked yourself. Now there’s a cut on your index finger that is starting to throb and bleed again after having stopped for awhile. All of sudden things are not going as planned, but what should you do? Should you go ahead with your workout or will it only make things worse? There are three options available: Continue Working Out, Work Out With Protective Gear, Skip The Workout Altogether . Continue Working out with a cut finger. You can continue to work out with a cut finger on the gym. The risk of getting an infection is very low, and if you’re careful to disinfect the skin after each work out it’s not going to be a problem. Of course there are other things to consider as well: The healing process will take longer, so you’ll probably have some scarrin...
    Read more

    Home Remedies For Canker Sores

    Image
    An excellent home remedy to cure canker sores, also called postemillas, sores or fires in the mouth, is the balm with essential oil of laurel, as it helps relieve pain and inflammation. In addition to this, basil tea is also an excellent natural remedy to treat canker sores in the mouth, as they possess analgesic properties that reduce pain and antiseptic, leaving the region clean of microorganisms. To complement the natural treatment and accelerate the healing of sores, it is also possible to gargle or rinse your mouth with warm water and salt, 2 to 3 times a day, since salt is antibacterial, thus fighting bacteria, reducing inflammation and pain.  Best home remedies Home remedies are excellent alternatives to cure postemillas quickly, because they are prepared with plants rich in tannins. These compounds have astringent, anti-inflammatory and healing properties, causing the tissues to retract, reducing inflammation, relieving pain and facilitating the healing of lesions. These plants...
    Read more

    Diet For Diverticulitis: What To Eat And What To Avoid

    Image
    The diet for diverticulitis should be started with clear, easily digestible liquids such as chicken broth, strained and blended fruit juices, coconut water and gelatin. At the beginning, this type of food should be used because it is necessary to calm the intestine, keep it at rest and prevent or reduce the formation of stool. Diverticulitis crises arise when the diverticula of the colon, which are abnormal pouches that form in the wall of the intestine, become inflamed or infected and cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and constipation. For this reason the foods to be consumed should be easy to digest and low in fiber.  Once the diverticulitis crisis improves, the diet also adapts from a liquid diet to a pureed diet, until solid foods are consumed again. From then on, it is important to increase the consumption of foods rich in fiber and water, thus avoiding the possibility of another crisis.  What to eat during a diverticulitis crisis At the onset of a diverticul...
    Read more