benefits of carrots

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, providing 210% of the average adults needs for the day. They also provide 6% of vitamin C needs, 2% of calcium needs and 2% of iron needs per serving. Carrots also contain fiber, vitamin K, potassium, folate, manganese, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin E and zinc.

Carrot is one of my favorite juice ingredients. It not only tastes good, it has so many health benefits and is highly cleansing. Carrots may have high sugar content but it is also a very good blood sugar regulator (its a paradox I know). If youre generally healthy without blood sugar problem, two or three mediumsized carrots daily would not cause any adverse effect (but diabetics should keep to just half a carrot a day).

The wild ancestors of the carrot are likely to have come from Iran and Afghanistan, which remain the centre of diversity of Daucus carota, the wild carrot. Selective breeding over the centuries of a naturally occurring subspecies of the wild carrot, Daucus carota subsp. sativus, to reduce bitterness, increase sweetness and minimise the woody core, has produced the familiar garden vegetable.

Carrot is one of the most healing foods that provides the finest and highest quality in nutrients, especially from its juice. It is an excellent source of provitamin A, vitamins C, D, E, K, B1 and B6. It is rich with biotin, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, organic sodium and some trace minerals.

It is an antioxidant that has powerful healing virtues for many diseases. Drinking a glass of carrot juice daily will do much more for you than many bottles of supplement tablets. Carrot sticks or baby carrots make for a great snack and are often a popular vessel for herbed dips and hummus and on variety vegetable trays.

Carrots are excellent for the eyes, thanks to the presence of abundant amounts of beta carotene which is converted into Vitamin A in the liver. This vitamin is converted in the retina to rhodopsin, a purple pigment necessary for night vision. Beta carotene improves night vision and protects against eye problems like glaucoma, macular degeneration and senile cataracts. It is also helpful in night blindness.

Carrots contain a variety of antioxidants and polyacetylenes which together provide a protective shield to the heart. Studies have shown that consumption of foods high in carotenoids lower the risk of heart disease. Besides being extremely rich in beta carotene, carrots also contain alphacarotene and lutein. Regular consumption of carrots protects your heart from oxidative damage,

Carrots can reduce the risk of lung cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer. This is because carrots are rich in the polyacetylene antioxidant, falcarinol which fights against cancers by destroying precancerous cells in the tumors. In this way, carrots possess anticarcinogenic properties that inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the colon and support the health of the lower digestive tract.

Carrot contains a variety of nutrients and antioxidants along with Vitamin C which boost your immune system. Regular consumption of carrots creates a protective shield for our body. Carrots are a popular vegetable to juice because of their sweet mild flavor.

Carrots are beneficial for your teeth and mouth as they scrape off plaque and food particles like a toothbrush or toothpaste. Carrots stimulate the gums and facilitate the formation of a lot of saliva, which being alkaline in nature, balances the acidforming and cavityforming bacteria.