What are the Health Benefits of Eating Carrots?

Carrots are considered to be the second most popular vegetable in the world after potatoes. Probably we all were forced to eat carrots when we were younger. But have you ever wondered why our mothers forced us to eat carrots? Well, it seems like they do wonders for our health. They contain 88% water, 7% sugar, 1% proteins, 1% fibers, 1% ash and 0,2% fats. They are considered to be critical in keeping us healthy, maybe that`s why Tedi juice is made of carrots. Let`s see what carrots can do for our health.

Improves our sight

This is one of the most known health benefits of carrots. They contain beta-carotene, and when that substance gets in our liver is transformed in vitamin A. When vitamin A gets into the retina is transformed in rhodopsin which is a pigment necessary for seeing in the night. Beta-carotene also protects us from eyes disorders such as cataract. And that is not all. Beta-carotene also has anti-aging effects by protecting our body against cellular degradation.

Prevents cancer

Recent studies had proven the fact that carrots reduce the apparition of the lung, breast and colon cancer. Carrots contain falcarinol and falcarindiol. You probably ask yourselves what these substances are and what are they good for. Well, these substances have anti-carcinogen effects. Falcarinol is a natural pesticide secreted by carrots to protect their root from fungus.

Makes our skin shiny

Nobody could ever guess that carrots have this kind of proprieties too. Vitamin A and the antioxidants found in carrots protect our skin by dehydration, prevent the apparition of wrinkles and acne. So, you can prepare a mask using baked chopped carrots mixed with a little bit of honey, a tablespoon of olive oil and a few drops lime juice. Let this mask on you a couple of minutes and then wash your face with warm water.

Prevents cardiovascular diseases

Clinical trials have proven the fact that if we have a rich diet in carotenoids the risk of making cardiovascular diseases decreases because of the high amount of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. And that`s not all! If we regularly consume carrots, we can reduce our cholesterol level and if we eat at least 6 carrots per week our body is protected a heart attack again.

Carrots are the solution for healthy teeth

Carrots can be a delicious snack which cleans our teeth after every meal. It`s like a natural toothpaste which cleans our mouth, efficiently eliminates food debris and stimulates the apparition of saliva, thing that help our month to keep clean. Also, Vitamin A helps us to detox our body and reduce the unnecessary fat.

So what are you waiting for? Go to the market and buy yourself some kilos of carrots!

References:

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Dawid C, Dunemann F, Schwab W, Nothnagel T, Hofmann T. Bioactive C₁₇-Polyacetylenes in Carrots (Daucus carota L.): Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives. J Agric Food Chem. 2015;63(42):9211-9222.

Wang L, Shou P, Wei S, et al. Total Synthesis of Chiral Falcarindiol Analogues Using BINOL-Promoted Alkyne Addition to Aldehydes. Molecules. 2016;21(1):E112.

Singer J, Bakall B, Gordon G, Reddy R. Treatment of vitamin A deficiency retinopathy with sublingual vitamin A palmitate. Doc Ophthalmol. 2016;132(2):137-145.

Burton G, Daroszewski J, Mogg T, Nikiforov G, Nickerson J. Discovery and Characterization of Carotenoid-Oxygen Copolymers in Fruits and Vegetables with Potential Health Benefits. J Agric Food Chem. 2016;64(19):3767-3777.

Krähmer A, Böttcher C, Rode A, Nothnagel T, Schulz H. Quantifying biochemical quality parameters in carrots (Daucus carota L.) – FT-Raman spectroscopy as efficient tool for rapid metabolite profiling. Food Chem. 2016;212:495-502.