Carrot is a favorite root vegetable of the winter season. It is popular in our pantry for adding crunchiness in dishes, enhancing soups and making juice. Carrot is the best source for beta carotene, which a type of natural pigment utilized by the body to create vitamin A. It also provides rich fiber to make the stomach full.
Facts about Carrots
Table of Contents
- The carrot was exported from ancient empires in present Afghanistan and Iran from 5000 years back. From there, the carrot root vegetable spread all over the world.
- There and nearly 100 species of edible carrots.
- Till 17the century, the edible carrot had only red, black, white, and purple colors. The most popular orange carrot was created from selective breeding from the Netherlands as praise to the house of orange.
- Before arrival in Rome and ancient Greece to the extent in medieval Europe, the carrot was utilized as medicinal purposes.
- In the whole carrot, 87% contain water.
- Carrot lost the dryness, and bitterness of core and got sweetness after the 17th and 18the century.
- It is a popular sugary root vegetable across the world.
- Carrot is consumed in the form of raw, juiced, cooked, and boiled.
- One tsp of carrot holds 2000 carrot seeds.
- The largest carrot was estimated at 5.839, which is 19 feet and 17/8 inches. The biggest carrot was grown in 1998, and it weighed 8.61 Kg.
- Carrot is highly considered for beta carotene among all vegetables. Per 100gm of carrot provides 104% of RDV of vitamins.
- Carrots contain natural sugar, which used in alcohol.
- Wild rabbits do not like to eat wild carrots.
- The carrot was first canned food.
- Carrot provides more fiber.
- One glass of milk provides a similar calcium of nine carrots.
- Eating one carrot provide energy to walk for one mile.
- Eating more carrot can cause carotenemia with a yellow tint on the skin.
Carrots: Nutritional Profile
- Calories Details – Amounts Per Serving
- Calories – 52.5 (220 kJ) DV:3%
- From Carbohydrate – 46.6 (195 kJ)
- Fat – 2.6 (10.9 kJ)
- Protein – 3.3 (13.8 kJ)
- Alcohol 0.0 (0.0 kJ)
CARBOHYDRATES
- Total Carbohydrate -12.3 g DV:4%
- Dietary Fiber – 3.6 g DV:14%
- Starch – 1.8 g
- Sugars – 6.1 g
PROTEIN & AMINO ACIDS
- Protein -1.2 g DV: 2%
VITAMINS
- A Vitamin – 21383 IU DV:248%
- C Vitamin – 7.6 mg DV:13%
- Vitamin D ~ ~
- E Vitamin (Alpha Tocopherol) – 0.8 mg DV:4%
- K Vitamin – 16.9 mcg – DV:21%
- Thiamin – 0.1 mg DV:6%
- Riboflavin – 0.1 mg DV:4%
- Niacin -1.3 mg DV:6%
- Vitamin B6 – 0.2 mg DV:9%
- Folate – 24.3 mcg DV:6%
- Vitamin B12 – 0.0 mcg 0%
- Pantothenic Acid – 0.3 mg 3%
- Choline – 11.3 mg
- Betaine – 0.5 mg
MINERALS
- Calcium – 42. 2mg DV:4%
- Iron – 0.4 mg DV:2%
- Magnesium -15.4 mg DV:4%
- Phosphorus – 44.8 mg DV:4%
- Potassium – 410 mg DV:12%
- Sodium – 88.3 mg DV:4%
- Zinc – 0.3 mg DV: 2%
- Copper – 0.1 mg DV:3%
- Manganese – 0.2 mg 9%
- Selenium – 0.1 mcg 0%
- Fluoride – 4.1 mcg
Benefits of Carrots
Carrot for Eyes
Carrot provides health benefits for promoting eye health. It improves eyesight and prevents night blindness.
Carrot contains a good source of lutein and beta carotene, which are essential antioxidants to prevent eye damage occurred by free radicals. Free radicals are synthesis that results in cellular damage, chronic illness, and aging and eye problems.
Beta carotene provides different colors in orange, red, and yellow in plants. Especially orange carrot holds more beta carotene, which turns in to vitamin A.
Vitamin A deficiency is a major problem causing night blindness, which can be reversible by taking supplements. It offers rhodopsin, which is a reddish and purple pigmentation with light sensitivity in the eyes cells that can you able to see in the night.
Your body absorbs the beta carotene and uses it more when consumed in cooked form instead of raw. Moreover, vitamin A is fat-soluble so, consuming carrots with fat promotes absorption.
Consuming yellow carrot provides lutein, which prevents age-linked macular degeneration, which is an eye problem with lost or blurred vision.
Prevent Cancer
Carrot provides various phytochemicals that are shown helpful to prevent cancer in studies. The important compounds like carotenoids and beta carotene help to boost immunity and activate the proteins that lower the risk of cancer cell growth. According to studies, carrot juice fight with leukemia. Leukemia is a type of bone marrow or blood cancer.
Researchers have divided the compounds of carrot that may hugely responsible for anticancer benefits.
Research tells that people who consume a large number of vegetables and fruits have a reduced risk of cancer. But it requires more research for anticancer effects.
Another study examined the possible effect of falcarinol for cancer prevention. Falcarinol is a type of natural pesticide available in carrots that helps to protect carrots from getting fungal diseases.
Increase Hair Growth
Carrot consumption provides vitamin C and A, potassium, carotenoids, and other antioxidants, which all help in promoting hair growth. Carrot helps to stimulate sebum production in the scalp and reduce hair loss. They also improve hair strength and make your hair shinier. The vitamin content of carrot helps to promote blood circulation in the hair cells. Regular eating of the carrot helps to prevent premature hair greying.
How To Use A Carrot For Hair Growth?
1.Carrot Oil
Massaging carrot oil stimulates the hair cells You can make carrot oil and store for months. This oil helps to nourish your hair from roots.
Ingredients
- 1-carrot
- Olive oil
- Glass mason jar
How to do it?
- Grate the carrot and add olive oil in it and keep in dark place for one week.
- Once the oil turns orange, strain out the carrot and keeps the oil in a clean container.
- Regularly massage your hair with this carrot oil for 30 minutes and do shampoo. Do this remedy once in a week.
2.Carrot, Yogurt and Banana Hair Mask
Try the carrot, yogurt, and banana hair mask to stop hair breakage. It also makes your hair smooth, soft, and manageable.
Ingredients
- Carrot -1
- Banana -1
- Yogurt – 2 tbsp
How to do it?
- Blend the chopped banana and carrot with yogurt and make a smooth paste.
- Apply this mask in hair and cover with a shower cap. Keep the mask for 30 minutes and wash it with a mild shampoo.
- Follow this hair remedy once in a week.
Carrot, Onion Juice, Olive Oil, And Lemon Juice Mask
This mask is helpful to boost hair and reduce the problem. It also promotes collagen production and stimulates hair growth.
Ingredients
- Carrot -1
- Onion – 1
- Olive oil – 2tbsp
- Lemon juice – 2tbsp
How to do it?
- Make a blend of carrot, onion, and include lemon juice and olive oil.
- Make a smooth paste and apply the mask in your hair.
- Wash your hair after 15 minutes and do it once in a week.
Carrot, Avocado and Honey Hair Mask
Carrot provides many benefits for hair health. Adding honey in a hair mask helps to moisturize and strengthen your hair follicles.
Ingredients
- Carrots – 2
- Avocado – 1/2
- Honey – 2tbsp
How to use it?
- Make a smooth paste of carrot and avocado.
- Mix honey in this blend and apply over scalp.
- Wash your hair after 30 minutes with milk shampoo and follow this remedy once in every week.
Carrot And Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is the best moisturizer for the scalp. It hydrates the scalp skin and promotes soft hair. Including a carrot with coconut boost hair growth.
Ingredients
- Carrot – 1
- Coconut oil -2tbsp
How to do it?
- Make a soft paste of carrot and combine it with coconut oil.
- Use this pack in your scalp and allow it to stay for 20 minutes.
- Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo and repeat it once in every week.
Carrot, Yogurt, and Papaya Hair Mask
Carrot and papaya together provide folic acid and stimulate blood circulation hair follicles. Yogurt helps to cleanse your scalp and remove dead cells and prevent clogging.
Ingredients
- Carrot- 2
- Ripe papaya- 4-5 pieces
- Yogurt- 2tbsp
How to use it?
- Cut the carrot and blend with papaya and yogurt.
- Apply this mask in hair and wait for 30 minutes.
- Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo. Try this hair mask once a week.
Carrot And Aloe Vera Juice Spray
This hair spray of carrot juice and aloe vera is the best way to promote hair growth. Both the ingredients provide vitamins A and C, which manage proper scalp cell growth and prevent dandruff.
Ingredients
- Carrots
- Aloe vera juice – 50 ml
- Spray bottle 100 ml
How to use it?
- Blend and make a smooth paste of carrot. Strain the juice and fill in the spray bottle. Include aloe vera juice in and shake well.
- Spray this solution on your scalp and massage well with fingers for 10 minutes.
- Leave the solution in your hair overnight and wash after 30 minutes.
- Follow this remedy two times a week.
Manage Diabetes
Adding a carrot in a diabetes diet helps to enhance the healthy weight and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. According to studies, high vitamin A in the blood prevents type 2 diabetes risk. Carrot provides plenty of nutrients and helps in the diabetic meal.
Adding a carrot in a daily diet helps to sweet flavor without much sugar and manage blood glucose. You can also drink carrot juice without added sugar, which will not spike the blood sugar.
Diabetic people can use carrots as a snack by including in salads and different pasta recipes. Cooking carrot causes to caramelize the sugar and raise the glycemic index.
Boost Immunity
The content of vitamin A in carrots helps to control the immune system capacities and limit infections. It also promotes the overall immunity of the body.
The mucosal layers and skin of the respiratory tract inhibit viruses and germs from invading the body. Vitamin A helps to regulate the ailments and protect cells for normal functions. Carrot also boosts white blood cells and stimulates the cells to fight with infections. Frequently consuming carrot manage the immune cells release in the gut, mentioned in the research issued in February 2012, in Molecular-Aspects-of-Medicine. Vitamin A insufficiency often leads to a weak immune system and raise the risk of infection growth.
It also gives vitamin C, which helps to strengthen the immune system and limit diseases. The vitamin C presence fights with free radical damage and increases interferons, which is an ability to reduce virus growth.
The presence of folate and vitamin B-6 are essential synthesis and protein of metabolism, which carry signals about pathogens presence and create an immune response. This vitamin also increases the white blood cells grow and help in infection prevention.
Carrot also provides vitamin E, which helps in cell membrane protection in the body, including the immune system.
As the age increase, special cells of the immune system named T cells drop their ability to cope with viruses. Vitamin E in the carrot reverses the age-related issues in T cells and enhances their infection-fighting ability.
Carrot also provides essential minerals that are important for the immune system. One large carrot offers 1.5% of daily consumption of zinc and 3% of copper and iron. Zinc is important for cell growth that fights with bacteria and kills virus cells.
Improve Blood Pressure
According to a recent study, consuming carrot juice helps to lower 5% of systolic blood pressure. The nutrients of carrot juice provide potassium, fiber, nitrates, and vitamin C. The potassium content of carrot work as a vasodilator and lets your blood vessels relax. It also relieves the tension of arteries and promotes blood circulation and flow. Good blood flow promotes organ functions and lower cardiovascular system stress.
It is important to manage healthy blood pressure to prevent the risk of heart attack, strokes, and atherosclerosis. It also lowers hypertension and saves heart health.
Carrot Skin Benefits
Carrot Mask for Dry Skin
The content of potassium in the carrot benefits to prevent dryness in skin layers. This carrot mask helps to moisturize deeply in skin layers and provide glowing skin.
Ingredients
- Carrot
- Milk
- honey
How to use it?
- Grind the carrot and grind it. Then add one tsp honey and one tsp milk.
- Mix it well and use it on the face. Apply this mask on face and wash after 15 minutes.
Treat Oily Skin
The key benefit of beta carotene in carrot gets converted into vitamin A. The vitamin A in different forms, such as tretinoin and retinoids, which is already got many topical products for oily skin. You can also boost the vitamin A naturally in your skin by eating carrot every day.
Clear Complexion mask
Carrot helps to get your clear complexion.
Ingredients
- Carrot juice
- Egg white
- Yogurt
Mix equal parts of all ingredients and apply them on the face. Then, wash after 15 minutes using lukewarm water. Carrot work great for eliminating dead cells of the skin and promote new skin.
Sun Protection Carrot Spray
Carotenoids and beta-carotenes present in carrots help to protect your skin from UVA rays and prevent suntan.
Ingredients
- Carrot juice
- Rosewater
Combine carrot juice and rose water in equal portion and put in a spray bottle. Spray this mixture on your body and face to make your skin hydrated and prevent sun effects.
Anti-aging Benefits
Carrot consumption also helps to prevent aging benefits.
Ingredients
- Carrot
- Aloe vera
Mix the aloe vera and carrot juice and mix and apply on the face. It helps to prevent aging signs. The content of vitamin C boost collagen and smooth skin.
Strengthen Bones
Vitamin A impacts the metabolism of bone cells. The presence of beta-carotene provides antioxidants linked with bone health. The carrots are genetically altered to increase the calcium moving protein that was developed by a researcher from Texas-A&M-University, college station.
People who consume fortified carrot, urine measurements discovered the net increase in calcium absorption.
Weight Loss Benefits
Eating fresh and raw carrots provide 88% of water. One medium carrot offers 25 calories. However, adding carrots in a daily diet make your meal healthy.
Carrot provides rich fiber and manage satiety levels and keep you full. As carrot contains high nutrition, it is a more nutrient-dense vegetable that helps to nourish entire health. Carrot juice is suitable for weight loss as it contains low calories and more filling due to fiber presence.
How Does Carrot Work for Weight Loss?
Drinking carrot juice helps to activate the bile secretion, which promotes metabolism and enhance weight loss. Bile is a type of fluid that breaks down fat from food and absorbs fat and water-soluble minerals and vitamin. Carrot juice is the best food of vitamin B complex – B1, B2, and B6. Vitamin B plays an essential role in protein, and fat metabolism, also it reduces depression and stress, which promotes muscle building weight loss.
The high fiber content of carrot juice helps to enhance the digestion and boost satiety on reduced calories. The juice also helps to lower blood sugar. Carrot juice comprises of beneficial minerals and vitamins such as phosphorus, iron, manganese, and potassium that support weight loss.
Despite carrot contain high nutrients, carrot juice provides low calories, per cup of carrot juice provide only 93 calories, 22g carbs, 0.4g fat, and 9g sugar. One cup of carrot juice with 1.9g dietary fiber is perfect for weight loss.
Carrot comprises of various plant compounds including Alph-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, polyacetylenes, which helps to boost your health. It reduces eye problem, cancer risk, and promote the immune system.
How to prepare carrot weight loss juice?
Preparing carrot juice is easy and takes you some time.
Ingredients
- Carrot- 4-5
- Coriander handful
Use a blender and make juice of carrot and coriander.
Add some salt and black pepper in it for taste.
Lower Cholesterol
Adding carrot in your diet helps to lower the cholesterol absorption and promote antioxidants in the body. These effects boost cardiovascular health. Raw carrot provides rich fiber named as pectin, which reduces the bad cholesterol.
According to research, a notable reduction of cholesterol in the liver (-44%; P= 0.0007), which was observed both with a lowered level of triglycerides (-40%; P= 0.0005). The study has shown the increase in steroid excretion by 30% after the consuming carrot diet. The bile acids secretion was balanced, whereas the cholesterol absorption was lowered in mice fed a carrot diet. The carrot diet also improved the status of antioxidants. It lowered the urinary elimination of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive-substances(TBARS), lowered the TBARS levels in the heart, raised the vitamin E level of plasmatic, and boosted ferric lowering plasma ability.
Promote Teeth And Gums health
Raw and crispy carrots help to remove the plaque from teeth and promote fresh breath. The fiber content of the carrot also boosts salivation, which helps to neutralize the malic and citric acids in the mouth. Carrot is one of the most recommended vegetables by dentists for good oral health.
Helps indigestion
The carrot provides a significant number of dietary fiber that promotes good digestion. The fiber content of the carrot regulates bulky stool, which moves bulk smoothly from the digestive tract and relieves constipation.
Promote Liver Health
Carrot comprises glutathione, which is a supermolecule that assists in liver detoxification. The carrot also provides beta-carotene and plant flavonoids. Adding carrot in the daily diet and boost entire liver functions. The presence of vitamin A helps to fight liver diseases.
Help Treat PCOS
As the carrot is a non-starchy vegetable, it provides a low glycemic index that helps to treat PCOS. There is less research and require more information. Carrot provides all nutrients that work to manage PCOS disease.
Expert Advice
You can consume raw carrot every day. It provides carotenoids that convert into vitamin A after entering the human body. One cup of a cooked carrot offers 5-times more carotenoids in a day. It also provides 5g of fiber that is 25% of daily need.
You can eat one or two carrots every day that provide daily recommended values of nutrition. Remember eating more carrots may cause side effects of carotenemia.
The green carrot provides a high amount of vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and protein. Green carrots are slightly bitter so, you can add them in a salad.
Carrot: Side Effects
Generally, the carrot is safe and provides many health benefits, but excess consumption causes side effects.
Vitamin A Toxicity
According to reports, eating more carrot cause abdominal pain and may abnormally raise liver enzymes. The patient experienced toxicity of vitamin A. The number of 10, 000 IU has been considered as safe and more than can be toxic.
The toxicity of vitamin A also called hypervitaminosis. The symptoms include nausea, nose bleeding, fatigue, vomiting, and appetite loss.
Toxicity happens because vitamin A is one of the soluble fat. Consuming more vitamin, A gets stored in fat tissues and liver. The more accumulation causes toxicity.
Gradually the toxicity of vitamin A impact on multiple organs and increase the risk of fractures and bone, and kidney functions.
Cause Allergies
It’s rare that carrot cause allergies it may show reactions when eaten more. According to the report, the carrot ingestion in ice cream may cause allergy.
Carrot allergies may impact 25% of individuals with food allergies. It could be linked with an allergy to particular carrot proteins. Individuals with an allergy to pollen syndrome may get allergic reactions.
Carrot allergy symptoms include lip swelling, and eyes and nose irritation. In some cases, carrot consumption may cause anaphylaxis.
Cause Flatulence
Some individuals may experience difficulty for digesting carrot, which gradually causes flatulence or gas in the stomach.
Unsafe for Infants
Carrot can be unsafe for infant health as it carries the risk of choking. You can only give limited by making a paste.
Skin Discoloration
Consuming too much carrot may cause carotenemia that shows the symptom of skin discoloration. It happens because of the beta-carotene increase in the bloodstream, which makes skin orange.
The above all benefits of carrot are healthy. Only excess carrot may cause side effects otherwise no. Try adding carrot in the everyday diet to get the most beneficial for health. Are you get any side effects, then ask your doctor and take advice.