Healthy Living: The Many Medicinal and Health Benefits of Carrots

Carrots are one of the most widely used and enjoyed vegetables in the world, partly because they grow relatively easily, and are very versatile in a number of dishes and cultural cuisines. They are scientifically classified as Daucus carota, and it is categorized as a root vegetable. It is typically orange in colour, but purple, white, yellow, and red carrots are out there, just not as common. The taproot of the carrot is the part of the vegetable most commonly eaten, although the greens are still beneficial in salads and other forms.

The type of carrot most commonly eaten around the world is the domesticated variation of the wild species named above, and it is native to Europe and south-western Asia. The majority of carrots are now cultivated in China, but they are exported throughout the world to be included in salads and soups, as well as a stand-alone vegetable for snacks, side dishes, and essential ingredients in many recipes.


Carrots in the wild have a woody core element that is not very palatable, so cultivation has eventually selected that characteristic out so we are left with the form of carrots that we are familiar with today. Both adults and children like them because of their crunchy texture and sweet taste, so this is one of the valuable vegetables for parents, as children seem to enjoy eating them, a rare exception!
The many medicinal and health benefits of carrots, along with its delicious taste, are what makes this such an important vegetable in cultural cuisines across the globe, so let’s first understand what exactly is it about carrots that makes them so beneficial!

Nutritional Value & Calories

Most of the benefits of carrots can be attributed to their beta-carotene and fiber content. This root vegetable is also a good source of antioxidant agents. Furthermore, they are rich in vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, vitamin B8, pantothenic acid, folate, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese.

 

Health Benefits of Carrots

Prevention of Heart Disease: In a study meant to reveal the therapeutic value of carrots, researchers at the Wolfson Gastrointestinal Laboratory in Edinburgh, Scotland revealed that cholesterol level drops by an average of 11 percent if seven ounces of raw carrots per day are taken for three weeks.

High cholesterol is a major factor for heart disease. Since regular consumption of carrots reduces cholesterol levels, it is a good idea to consume a healthy dose of carrots, in order to prevent heart-related problems.
A group of Swedish scientists discovered that these root vegetables can reduce the chances of having a heart attack. A study conducted at the Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research in Italy found that those who ate more carrots had a 1/3rd risk of heart attack as compared with those who ate fewer carrots.

Blood Pressure: Next time you start getting riled up about something and your blood begins to boil, eat a carrot! Carrots are rich sources of potassium, which is a vasodilator and can relax the tension in your blood vessels and arteries, thereby increasing blood flow and circulation, boosting organ function throughout the body and reducing the stress on the cardiovascular system. High blood pressure is also directly linked to atherosclerosis, strokes, and heart attacks, so this is yet another heart-healthy aspect of carrots! The coumarin found in them also has been linked to reducing hypertension and protecting your heart health!

Immune Booster:  Carrots contain a number of antiseptic and antibacterial abilities that make it ideal for boosting the immune system. Not only that, they are a rich source of vitamin C, which stimulates the activity of white blood cells and is one of the most important elements in the human immune system.

Digestion: Carrots, like most vegetables, have significant amounts of dietary fiber in those orange roots, and fiber is one of the most important elements in maintaining good digestive health. Fiber adds bulk to stool, which helps it pass smoothly through the digestive tract, and it also stimulates peristaltic motion and the secretion of gastric juices. Altogether, this reduces the severity of conditions like constipation and protects your colon and stomach from various serious illnesses, including colorectal cancer. Fiber also boosts heart health by helping to eliminate excess LDL cholesterol from the walls of arteries and blood vessels.

Prevents Cancer: Beta-carotene consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of several cancers, notably lung cancer. British researchers discovered that increasing beta-carotene consumption from 1.7 to 2.7 milligrams per day reduced lung cancer risk by more than 40 percent. The average carrot contains about three milligrams of beta-carotene.

In a separate study, researchers found that eating fiber-rich carrots reduces the risk of colon cancer by as much as 24 percent. Another study shows that women who ate raw carrots were five to eight times less likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not. Further research into the application of both carrots and beta-carotene in relation to other forms of cancer is ongoing.