Raw, baked, or steamed. That is the most common way to consume this bright veggie, full of nutrients. Have you ever tried juicing carrots as well? Dr. Davis has been hooked! Here is some background about carrots and why he will try all types of ways to be his best version of Bugs Bunny each day!
The first carrots, cultivated thousands of years ago in the middle east were not the same sweet, orange, and crunchy you may think of today. This rooted vegetable had more of a woody taste and ranged in color. Some were purple. Some were yellow, or even white. It wasn't until Dutch farmers in the 16th century developed the carrot you think of today.
Now, the carrot is deemed an ultimate health food. This article is going to dig deeper into the health benefits behind these rooted vegetables. We will give you tips for how to add more to your diet. We will also be discussing the ancient question: Do carrots really help us see in the dark? - because let's be honest, we've all told our children something along these lines to try to get them to consume more veggies.
Unmistakably, carrots are rich in vitamins and minerals such as biotin, potassium, and vitamin A, K1, and B6. They contain a high amount of fiber, can feed the friendly bacteria in your gut, which may lead to improved health and decreased risk of disease, and have a high amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in plant-based foods and they help to remove free radicals (unstable molecules) that can cause cell damage if too many are accumulated.
These free radicals enter our body due to natural processes and environmental conditions and although the body can discard some free radicals naturally, dietary intake of antioxidants can help discard more or faster when the toxin level in the body is high.
If that isn't enough reason to munch away, they can also benefit our vision, decrease chance of certain cancers (by removing free radicals), improve digestive health, control diabetes, improve blood pressure and cardiovascular health, and increase our immunity and healing powers. Wowzers! - That's a lot of benefits from this sweet, crunch, and low-calorie snack!
Can carrots help us see in the dark?
Can we honestly tell our children that carrots can help us see in the dark? In a way, the answer is yes! Phew. But let's discuss this further. Carrots contain vitamin A, and Vitamin A deficiency can result in xerophthalmia, which is a progressive eye disease that causes night blindness or difficulty seeing when light level is low. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, insuring a proper intake of Vitamin A is the best way to prevent childhood blindness. However, (and we hate to be the bearer of bad news) most people's vision is unlikely to improve from eating carrots, unless their Vitamin A levels are low. Start young! You know our saying here at Chiro1 - "let's be PROACTIVE instead of REACTIVE!"
Decreasing risk of caners
According to the National Cancer Institute, when too many free radicals build up in the body, it may increase risk of various types of cancer. The antioxidants in carrots called carotenoids contain yellow, orange, and red organic pigments which may reduce the risk of free radical build up and the carotene can convert to Vitamin A when the body needs it too which is pretty amazing! It is recommended that adult females consume at least 700 mcg of Vitamin A a day and that adult males consume at least 900 mcg. One medium carrots has about 5,050 mcg of beta carotene and 2,120 mcg of alpha carotene, so one medium carrot covers you for an entire day! In 2011, researchers even found evidence that carrot juice extract could kill leukemia cells and slow or stop their progression and that drinking carrot juice may help prevent damage that leads to lung cancer in smokers. Bring on that juicing!
Aiding Digestion
Research in 2015 revealed that people with a high fiber diet have a lower risk of colorectal cancer than those who have a low fiber diet. Just one medium carrot contains 1.7g of fiber which is between five and seven percent of a person's daily need. Gut health is crucial to living a more balance mind-body-health life. Gut health may play a role in mental health, inflammation, Irritable Bowl Syndrome, Obesity, Diabetes, and liver health and although carrots are not the single answer to a healthy gut, they aid in the gut's fiber needs.
Diabetes Control
Carbohydrates make up around 10% of a carrot, and nearly half of this is natural sugars. Being low in sugar, high in fiber, and low in calories, the carrot scores low on the glycemic index (GI). This index helps people that have been diagnosed with diabetes understand what foods are likely to raise their blood sugar levels. For example, boiled carrots have a GI score of 39 which means they are unlikely to trigger a blood sugar spike. In addition, a study in 2018 concluded that a high-fiber diet may help to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and high-fiber diets may help people already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, manage their blood sugar levels.
Improving Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Health
The fiber and potassium in carrots have been shown to help manage blood pressure. The American Heart Association urges people to add less salt to their meals and eat foods with potassium - like carrots! Potassium works in the body by helping to relax blood vessels which gets blood flowing! One medium carrot provides about four percent of a person's daily potassium need. A study completed in 2017 concluded that people with high-fiber diets are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people with low-fiber diets. A high-fiber diet may also reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the blood.
Improving Immunity
Most of us know that Vitamin C can keep the common cold at bay. That is because Vitamin C contributes to collagen production. Collagen is needed for wound healing and staying healthy. Vitamin C is also present in immune cells that help fight off disease. A healthy immune system is able to prevent a range of diseases, even cancer! When a person is sick, their immune system has to work even harder to fight off whatever is attacking the body. This compromises the Vitamin C levels in the body. There are plenty of foods we can eat to help our body keep Vitamin C levels up, carrots being a great choice!
Carrots are a very versatile vegetable! With all the great ways to get your daily dose, they are must haves on your families menu.
What is your favorite way to eat carrots or a favorite dish? Share in the comments!
Send this link to someone who needs to know these benefits! You could turn someone into a Bugs Bunny as well!