Carrot and beta-carotene are almost synonymous, and while beta-carotene is known to improve eyesight, the benefits of carrots extend well beyond boosting vision.
What’s in carrots?
Often disregarded as a simple vegetable, carrots are amazing foods that provide so many nutrients and multiple health benefits. Although not as popular as kale nowadays, carrots definitely deserve to be consumed on a regular basis.
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The nutrition content for 100 grams raw carrots:
Vitamins Minerals
Vitamin A 16705 IU Calcium 33.0 mg
Vitamin C 5.9 mg Iron 0.3 mg
Vitamin E 0.7 mg Magnesium 12.0 mg
Vitamin K 13.2 mcg Phosphorus 35.0 mg
Thiamin 0.1 mg Potassium 320 mg
Riboflavin 0.1 mg Sodium 69.0 mg
Niacin 0.1 mg Zinc 0.2 mg
Vitamin B6 0.1 mg Manganese 0.1 mg
Folate 19.0 mcg Selenium 0.1 mcg
Pantothenic acid 0.3 mg Fluoride 3.2 mcg
Choline 8.8 mg
Betaine 0.4 mg
With only 41 calories per 100 grams serving, carrots can easily be identified as weight-lose positive, in addition, the vegetable contains:
- 3 grams water and a total of 9.6 grams carbohydrates, of which 4.7 grams are sugars, 2.8 grams represents dietary fiber, and the rest is starch.
- 9 grams protein, which represents 2 percent of the daily recommended intake;
- 2 grams fat.
Carrot’s strongest point is the vitamin A content that adds up to nearly 335 percent of the daily intake. As such, the food has been associated numerous times with improving vision and preventing macular degeneration.
Because carrots also contain beta-carotene, which is another nutrient known to fight against impaired vision, they are often regarded as one of the most important vegetables to consume in relation to good eyesight.
Other health benefits of carrots
While being a very good source of vitamin A and providing a good amount of beta-carotene, there is still so much more to be said about the health benefits of carrots.
- Because carrots contain potassium in high amounts, they can improve circulation of the blood in the body and help relax the cardiovascular system. In other words, carrots are recommended to lower blood pressure, prevent heart attacks, and prevent strokes, thus protecting the heart.
- Carrots contain carotenoids, which makes them a diabetes-friendly food since these nutrients help with blood sugar regulation and are natural blood sugar regulators. Not only do carrots lower blood sugar, but they also help with regulating insulin and blood glucose levels or the glucose metabolism.
- Another reason that makes carrots such a fantastic food is they may be able to prevent cancer. This isn’t only due to the number of antioxidants and the beta-carotene they contain, but also because of a natural pesticide they produce which is called falcarinol. According to researchers, this substance can stimulate cancer-fighting mechanisms in the body.
- A good source of dietary fiber, carrot helps cleanse the digestive tract by flushing out the stomach. Fibrous foods such as carrots provide a full feeling without consuming too many calories. Eaten in the morning, raw or lightly cooked carrot will prevent spikes in blood sugar level and cravings.
- Because they contain so many antioxidants, carrots help maintain beautiful skin and prevent premature aging. Other antioxidants in the vegetable besides beta-carotene include lutein, alpha-carotene, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and anthocyanins. The various colors of carrots contain different types and different amounts of these antioxidants, each providing unique benefits.
The first carrot known to man was the wild carrot which had whitish or ivory colored roots. White carrots still exist today, although they’re not consumed by people, but used as animal feed.
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The domesticated carrot is the orange colored vegetable that we known today. It appeared either in Europe or in the Western Mediterranean, according to historians.