Carrots are called the ultimate health food. You must have heard from your parents and grandparents about the health benefits of carrots. If you want to keep your eyes in good condition, you must eat carrots. It also provides other health benefits that make it a superfood. It is recommended that an adult should eat at least 4 servings of carrot per day, either raw or cooked.
You will be surprised to know that in the early ages, carrots were not orange in color. They were found in purple, red, yellow, white or even black colors. In the 16th century, red and yellow carrots were crossbred and that’s how we get the orange carrots today. Carrots contain lots of minerals, vitamins, and fiber. They also contain beta-carotene and antioxidants. They are not only nutritious but also have medicinal properties. Here are the health benefits of carrots:
1. Improves Vision
Carrots are so powerful that they can help you see in the dark. It contains vitamin A and Beta-carotene that are very good for the eyes. Deficiency of vitamin A can cause Xerophthalmia, a severe eye condition that can lead to night blindness. It is also the main reason for blindness in children. Carrots are rich in Lutein that can reduce cataract. If you eat carrot regularly, you will be able to prevent eye diseases such as macular degenerations, glaucoma, and senile cataracts.
2. Prevents Cancer
Carrots are rich in Carotenoids that can reduce the free radical in the body due to their antioxidant power and can prevent prostate cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer. Carrots contain Falcarinol, which is a Poly-acetylene antioxidant that helps to fight against cancers. It destroys the pre-cancerous cells and so inhibits the growth of cancer. Vitamin A and Retinoic acid in carrots can reduce the spread of cancerous cells as well.
3. Prevents Heart Disease
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S and other places. Eating deep orange-colored fruits and vegetables like carrot can lower the risk of coronary heart disease.
- Carrots are rich in Poly-acetylenes and antioxidants that together provide protection against heart diseases.
- They also contain Carotenoids that lower the risk of heart disease.
- Besides containing the useful Beta-carotene, carrots also contain Jutein and Alpha-carotene. These protect the heart from oxidative damage, the formation of bad cholesterol and plaque.
- Carrot is rich in fiber and also has a higher concentration of potassium and lower concentration of sodium. This composition is perfect for protecting against heart disease and high blood pressure.
- Carrots have a high content of soluble fiber, mainly Pectin, which lowers the cholesterol level and helps the heart to maintain healthy rhythm.
So, you should eat a carrot every day to reduce the chance of having high blood pressure or heart problem.
4. Enhances Immune Functions
Carrots are rich in vitamin C that boosts the immune system. If you eat carrot regularly, you will get relief from cold quickly. Carrots create a protective shield for your body. It has antiseptic properties that can prevent infections when you apply them to the wounded area of your skin. You can use mashed carrots, boiled or shredded carrots to the cut and prevent infections.
5. Stops Memory Loss and Improves Bone Health
Beta-carotene in carrots protects our central nervous system from aging. Cognitive decay can be delayed by eating carrots regularly. It can also treat cognitive dysfunctions and improve memory. Carrots contain vitamin C and calcium that are good for the bones. It is particularly helpful for post-menopausal women who cannot consume sufficient calcium. So, carrots can fulfill the calcium requirement and improve bone health.
6. Good for Teeth and Gums
Carrot can be called nature’s toothbrush. It acts as a natural abrasive, scrubbing away leftover food particles and plaque. Stains often get attached to the plaque causing the teeth to become yellowish. If you chew carrots after a meal, it can reduce the discoloration of the teeth. So, instead of brushing teeth after each meal, you can chew a carrot. When you eat carrots, it stimulates the production of saliva that prevents the formation of plaque by balancing the cavity-forming and acid-forming bacteria. Minerals that are present in carrots also help in killing germs in the mouth, thus preventing tooth decay.
7. Flush out Toxins and Improve Digestive Health
Carrots can flush toxins out of the body because of vitamin A. It is also good for digestive health. Here are some benefits of carrots:
- It can reduce the fat and bile in the liver and so helps the liver to get rid of the toxins.
- The fiber in carrots cleans out the colon as well and removes waste from the body faster.
- Carrots help to clean the gastrointestinal tract by getting rid of the debris.
- As carrots are good sources of fiber, they help to regularize the bowel movements and make digestion easy.
- It also reduces acid reflux and constipation.
- It can avoid sugar hikes in the blood and helps in weight loss due to the high content of fiber present.
Carrots can keep your digestive tract in good condition. As your toxins will flush out as well, you will have good digestive health by including carrots in your diet.
8. Good for Skin Health and Hair
The health benefits of carrots are endless. You will be surprised to know what carrots can do to your skin. Here are some skin benefits of carrot:
- If your skin is looking dull or if you notice signs of aging, then you should eat carrots to get a glowing skin.
- The antioxidants and vitamin A present in carrots protect the skin from sun damage and the harmful effects of free radicals.
- Retinoic acid present in carrots helps in maintaining healthy skin.
- Applying carrot juice or pulps of carrot on the skin can prevent acne, pigmentation, blemishes, uneven skin tone, etc.
- Carrot is an excellent solution for treating dry skin.
- Deficiency of potassium leads to dry skin and carrots are rich in potassium. It will keep your skin hydrated.
- If you are suffering from hair loss, then you should eat carrots. It provides the necessary vitamins that make your hair thicker, stronger and shinier.
- Vitamin C and E in carrots improve the blood circulation in the scalp. This helps to prevent premature graying of hair and promotes hair growth as well.
You can also use mashed carrot and honey as a face mask. You can drink a glass of carrot juice daily to improve your hair. You should include carrot in your regular diet to improve the conditions of your skin and health.
9. Prevents Aging
Did you know that carrots can prevent aging? It has the necessary vitamins and minerals to keep you looking young and fresh all the time.
- As carrots contain a high amount of beta-carotene, it acts as an antioxidant to the cell damage due to the regular metabolism and so slows down aging.
- It also contains vitamin C that helps the production of collagen that is necessary to maintain the skin elasticity.
- Carrots can lock the aging process by preventing wrinkles.
- Vitamin A in carrot is an antioxidant that attacks the free radicals to reduce the signs of aging.
Who doesn’t want to look young forever? One of the simplest ways to prevent aging is to include carrot in your regular diet.
10. Women’s Health
Carrots are extremely important for women, especially during the post-menopausal phase and pregnancy.
- Carrots can help relieve the menstrual pain and regularize the bleeding as well.
- It helps to overcome the hot flushes that women experience during the post-menopausal stage.
- During pregnancy, carrots play a vital role. They help in the proper development of the fetus and reduce the chance of miscarriage or fetal infections as well.
- It can also help in the production and quality of breast milk.
Carrots are very healthy for women. Eating just one carrot a day can improve women’s health significantly.
Carrot can be a great snack for any time of the day. You can eat carrot sticks with a dip of your choice or add it to any meal that you eat. The skin of the carrot is also nutritious. Carrot juice is often recommended by the doctors for recovering fast from illnesses. It contains no fat and so is very healthy food. Vitamin A in carrots helps to fight infections and so can protect you from many diseases. It contains the antioxidant beta-carotene that provides the bright orange color to the carrots. During digestion, it is absorbed in the intestine and converted to vitamin A.
You can also get purple or red colored carrots in the market. The color varies due to the type of antioxidants present there. For example, purple carrots have Anthocyanin and red carrots contain Lycopene. Carrots contain lots of other vitamins and minerals that are very good for your health and well-being. It can reduce the risk of chronic diseases; lose weight, boost brain function, and much more. So, you should make the habit of eating carrots regularly for getting a healthy body.
