Carrot is a root that is an excellent source of carotenoids, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants, all of which provide various health benefits. In addition to taking care of visual health, they also help prevent premature aging, improve the immune system and could prevent some types of cancers.
This vegetable can be eaten raw, cooked or juiced and can be found in different colors: yellow, orange, red, purple and white. The main difference between them lies in their composition, the most common being orange is rich mainly in alpha and beta carotenes, sources of provitamin A; in the case of yellow ones, they have a higher concentration of lutein; the red ones are rich in a powerful antioxidant called lycopene and; finally the purple ones, which are rich in anthocyanins.
Some health benefits of consuming carrots are:
1. Improve digestion
The carrot is rich in soluble and insoluble fibers such as pectin, cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose, these help fight constipation because they increase the volume of stool, in addition to this, they decrease intestinal transit and help stimulate multiplication and the activity of bacteria good for the gut.
2. Prevent early aging and cancer
Because it is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin A and polyphenols, it prevents cell damage caused by free radicals, preventing not only early aging, but also reducing the risk of cancer, such as lung, breast and stomach cancer. It also has a substance called falcarinol, which could reduce the risk of colon cancer.
3. Maintain the tan and take care of the skin
Consuming carrots during the summer could help maintain your tan for longer, since beta-carotenes and lutein stimulate skin pigmentation, promoting your natural tan. In addition to this, beta-carotene could exert a protective effect against UV rays, however, its effectiveness will depend on the amount ingested before sun exposure. The intake of 100 g of carrot juice provides 9.2 mg of beta-carotene and the cooked carrot provides 5.4 mg.
4. Help lose weight
Including carrots daily in meals helps increase satiety, since 1 medium raw carrot provides about 3.2 grams of fiber. In addition to this, it provides few calories, and can be included in salads both raw and cooked, however, by itself it does not fulfill this effect, so it must be included in a diet low in calories, fat and sugar.
In addition to this, raw carrots have a low glycemic index (GI), which keeps blood glucose under control and this in turn promotes weight loss, as well as being an excellent option for people with diabetes. In the case of cooked carrots or in pureed form, the GI is medium, being a little higher.
5. Protect vision
Carrots are rich in beta-carotenes, precursor substances of vitamin A. In the case of yellow carrots that contain lutein, they could exert a protective action against macular degeneration and cataracts.
6. Strengthen the immune system
The vitamin A present in carrots could improve the body's anti-inflammatory response, due to its antioxidant effect. In addition to this, it stimulates defense cells, helping to strengthen the immune system. The consumption of carrots could also improve the defense mechanism of the oral mucosa, increase the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and help to maintain the morphology of the cells, being important to remember that the gastrointestinal tract is a key piece of the immune system.
7. Protect against cardiovascular diseases
The beta-carotenes present in carrots protect the body by preventing the onset of cardiovascular diseases, because it inhibits the oxidation process of "bad" LDL cholesterol and modifies its absorption at the intestinal level thanks to its fiber content.
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