The humble carrot does not seem to get much publicity these days. The health pages are dominated by the benefits of the superfoods, such as the acai or goji berry. But superfoods come and go, they are fads. I am not knocking them mind you; they have some amazing benefits. I just think we take carrots for granted and overlook the powerful health benefits they can give us.
Even though most of us only think of carrots as a veggie to use in dip or to shred for your salad, carrots have been valued for their medicinal properties since ancient times. Carrots are one of the most widely used veggies in the world. They are typically orange, but there are numerous other colors including white, yellow, purple, and red.
Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which comes from beta-carotene. Your liver converts beta-carotene into vitamin A. Carrot seed oil has copper, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6, and magnesium. Although it might not seem like it, carrots have more sugar than any other veggie on the planet, with the exception of sugar beets. When eaten as part of an overall healthy diet, carrots can give you some serious protection against strokes and heart disease.
The healthiest of diets include lots of raw fruits and veggies, but carrots are an exception to this rule. Research shows that cooking carrots actually increases their levels of phenolic acids, antioxidants, and beta carotene levels. So feel free to add those carrots to soups, stews, or just plain steam them and enjoy!
Just a note about those so-called baby carrots: As cute as they are, there is really no such thing as a “baby” carrot. This came about as a stroke of marketing genius. A farmer in California decided to shave down his broken or imperfect carrots into the tiny versions you find in the supermarket today. There is really no difference between baby carrots and regular carrots, and you could shave down full sized carrots yourself and have the same results. The main objection to baby carrots is that many of them are given a chlorine bath before they are packaged to help keep them fresher, longer. You might want to avoid these for this reason.
Now, keep reading and find out all the reasons you should be eating more carrots every day.
Next – Top Health Benefits of Eating Carrots
