Carrots are known as the vegetable that is easy to grow, tasty and high nutrition. Both children and adults like carrots because of its sweet taste and crunchy texture.
Carrot (Daucus carota) is available year-round in North America and are grown in mountain areas that have cold temperatures and moist, approximately in height of 1200 meters above sea level.
There are over 100 different varieties of carrots throughout the world that vary in size (from two inches to three feet) and colors (orange, purple, yellow, and white).
Carrots are one of the most popular and well-loved vegetables. This because it provides a lot of nutrition to the body. According to calorie count, the nutritional value of 128 grams of carrot is as shown below.
Apart from that, carrots are also good sources of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin K, biotin, fiber, potassium and thiamine. Here are 7 health benefits of carrots for human body:
- Prevent Cancer
Many studies shown that eating carrots may help lower the risk of breast cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer. Recently, researchers have isolated a compound called falcarinol in carrots that may be largely responsible for anti-cancer benefits. Falcarinol is a natural pesticide found in carrots that protects roots from fungal diseases. In daily diet, carrots are almost the only source of these compounds. A study conducted on mice found that those who were fed with either raw carrots or falcarinol had one-third lower risk of developing colon cancer than mice did not fed with them. - Improve Vision
The retina of the eye needs vitamin A to function. A lack of vitamin A can cause night blindness. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a substance which is converted to vitamin A in the liver. In the retina, vitamin A is transformed into rhodopsin, a purple pigment that necessary for night vision. In addition, beta-carotene help protect against macular degeneration and the development of senile cataracts. A study found that people who eat most beta-carotene had a 40 percent lower risk of macular degeneration than those who consumed little. - Prevent heart disease
Studies shown that a diet high in carotenoids are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Also, it is believed that regular consumption of carrots reduces LDL cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber in carrots can help lower blood cholesterol levels by binding with and removing bile acids, cholesterol triggers would be pulled out from the bloodstream to make more bile acids. - Reduce the risk of stroke
According to a research from Harvard University, people who ate more than six carrots a week are much less likely to suffer a stroke than those who ate only one carrot a month or more. - Nourish Skin
Carrot has a strong cleansing properties that are effective in detoxifying the liver, and thus very effective for treating acne that is caused by toxins from the blood. Carrot is also useful for treating uneven skin tones due to pigmentation. The vitamin A and other nutrients contained in carrot efficiently nourish the skin, prevent dry skin and other skin blemishes. - Anti-aging
Carrots contain a lot of beta-carotene, which serves as an antioxidant that helps the body to fight against free radicals. It also help slows down the aging of cells and various negative effect associated with aging. - Dental Health
Carrots can also help clean your teeth after meals. They act as natural abrasives that help in eliminating dirt and plague from the teeth and gums. They’re also trigger a lot of saliva, which helps to scrub away stains on your teeth. The minerals contained in carrots helps to kill germs in the mouth and prevent tooth damage.
Carrots are really an amazing vegetable. There are many benefits of carrots and they are easy to add to your diet without much extra preparation. Carrots, either as raw fruit juice or in cooked form are good for health.
