Why Carrots are the Superfood You Need in Your Diet (2024)

Why Carrots are the Superfood You Need in Your Diet (1)

You probably know the expression, “carrot and a stick,” which sets the classic root vegetable up as the ultimate reward. But you may not be aware of all the health benefits you’ll enjoy from upping your carrot game. Thanks to the amount of essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that’s packed into each Daucus carota subsp. sativus, many experts have elevated this humble veggie to the level of “superfood.” Here are some fun carrot facts to chew on.

1. Carrots can make your skin look amazing

Carrots contain some of the most important nutrients to protect your skin from sun damage, dullness and signs of aging including vitamin A (from beta-carotene) and antioxidants. They also have a substance called retinoic acid, which supports your skin’s resiliency. Either eating carrots or giving yourself a facial made from mashed carrots allows you to take advantage of what herbalists love — the natural antiseptic nature of the vegetable — to help tone and revitalize your skin, for a glowing complexion.

Why Carrots are the Superfood You Need in Your Diet (2)

2. Carrots can give your heart health some love

The amount of fiber in a carrot (approximately two grams in a medium carrot) may help decrease blood pressure by reducing the amount of cholesterol found in the blood. And a fascinating, massive 10-year study conducted in the Netherlands showed that eating just a half cup of orange fruits & veggies–especially carrots–per day led to a significantly lower chance of developing heart disease. Additionally, research shows that drinking carrot juice may help promote heart health by increasing your total antioxidant status and decreasing lipid peroxidation.

3. Carrots have a low glycemic index

While carrots taste sweet and contain some sugar and carbohydrates, they are actually quite low on the glycemic index.This means those with glycemic disorders can likely safely eat carrots without worrying about a sugar spike after consuming them as part of a snack or a meal. Always consult your doctor for any dietary restrictions first.

Why Carrots are the Superfood You Need in Your Diet (3)

4. Carrots are like a natural toothbrush

Consuming carrots stimulates saliva production, which keeps plaque from forming in the first place. When you eat a raw carrot, the vegetable has an abrasive quality that can help remove plaque and leftover bits of food. Less plaque means less chances of stains taking hold on your teeth, too.

5. Carrots may help support bone health

Whether you’re old or young, healthy bones are essential to a healthy body. The mix of vitamin K1, vitamin A, and potassium in carrots can help support bone mass, for overall excellent bone health.

6. Carrots can be good for your gut

The fiber in carrots (and any high-fiber vegetables, actually) acts like a natural vacuum cleaner in your gastrointestinal tract, picking up debris as it runs through your body. Carrots can also help keep gut cells healthy, supporting a decreased risk of illness and improving your health overall.

7. Carrots can help support your immune system

One of the key ingredients in chicken soup is carrots, and for good reason: they’re chock full of antioxidants, which support your body in fighting free radicals, inflammation and cellular damage. Plus there’s plenty of vitamin C, A, B6, and K to support your immune system.

Why Carrots are the Superfood You Need in Your Diet (4)8. And ... oh yeah … carrots are a great source of Vitamin A

Vitamin A is the critical vitamin that your eyes need for good vision. They contain a whopping 210% of the recommended daily dose of this essential nutrient. Vitamin A contributes to forming rhodopsin — the light-sensitive pigment in eye cells that is necessary for night and color vision. The antioxidants in carrots may also help fight age-related eye issues, such as cataracts, though they have to be eaten in large quantities.

See how versatile carrots are? For more exciting ways to help you nourish a wholesome, ZENB life, join the ZENB community by following us on Instagram and be sure to sign up for our newsletter to learn even more!

Why Carrots are the Superfood You Need in Your Diet (2024)

FAQs

Why Carrots are the Superfood You Need in Your Diet? ›

The mix of vitamin K1, vitamin A and potassium in carrots can help support bone mass for excellent bone health. Carrots can be good for your gut. The fiber in carrots (and any high-fiber vegetable) acts like a natural vacuum cleaner in your gastrointestinal tract, picking up debris as it runs through your body.

Why are carrots a superfood? ›

The mix of vitamin K1, vitamin A and potassium in carrots can help support bone mass for excellent bone health. Carrots can be good for your gut. The fiber in carrots (and any high-fiber vegetable) acts like a natural vacuum cleaner in your gastrointestinal tract, picking up debris as it runs through your body.

Why are carrots so important in the diet? ›

Carrots are full of benefits—they may promote healthy vision, balance your blood sugar, help with weight management, lower your risk of cancer, regulate blood pressure, reduce heart disease, improve immunity, and boost brain health. You won't regret incorporating more of this vegetable into your diet.

What happens if you eat carrots every day? ›

Carrots are high in fiber, so they help regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation. They also help keep weight in check since they are low-calorie food loaded with fiber. Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which is essential for eye health and good vision.

Do carrots clean out your system? ›

Carrots are rich in glutathione and are one of the most powerful detoxing vegetables. They are also packed with beta-carotene and vitamin A. Carrots have great cardiovascular benefits and help improve your overall immune functions.

What do carrots do for the brain? ›

Luteolin has shown potential in reducing age-related memory deficits and protecting brain cells from damage, making carrots a valuable food for brain health and dementia prevention. Furthermore, the fiber content in carrots supports digestive health, aids in weight management, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.

What happens if you don't eat enough carrots? ›

Carrots contain vitamin A, and a vitamin A deficiency may result in xerophthalmia, a progressive eye disease. Xerophthalmia can cause night blindness or difficulty seeing when levels of light are low.

Is it better to eat carrots raw or cooked? ›

Foods which are healthier cooked

These include carrots, asparagus and even tomatoes, because cooking makes it easier for our bodies to benefit from some of their protective antioxidants, specifically ferulic acid from asparagus, and beta-carotene, which we convert to vitamin A, from carrots.

What happens if we eat carrots at night? ›

And while some vegetables may not be the best thing to consume before you try to get some shut eye, carrots are one of the vegetables that will promote sleep as they contain the alpha-carotene nutrient as well as potassium.

What is the healthiest way to eat carrots? ›

Raw carrots are rich in fiber, which helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and cooked carrots release carotenoids, compounds the body converts to vitamin A to help ward off infections and support a healthy immune system, notes Andres Ardisson Korat, a scientist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition ...

How many carrots is enough for a day? ›

Eating 1-2 carrots a day is a good amount. They are healthy and full of vitamins, but too many can turn your skin slightly orange from the beta-carotene. Enjoy them as part of a balanced diet! You should eat 3–5 servings of vegetables '''and''' fruits daily.

What is the best time to eat carrots? ›

Helps avoid overeating

If you tend to overeat, then slice a raw carrot and eat it before your meals. Notice how it helps with portion control. “Carrots have potassium, which helps to balance the high levels of sodium associated with hypertension and keeps blood pressure under control.

Do carrots detox your liver? ›

Carrot juice: Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A is essential for liver health, as it helps protect the liver from damage. Carrot juice also helps improve digestion and detoxification.

Do carrots heal the gut? ›

The fiber in carrots (and any high-fiber vegetables, actually) acts like a natural vacuum cleaner in your gastrointestinal tract, picking up debris as it runs through your body. Carrots can also help keep gut cells healthy, supporting a decreased risk of illness and improving your health overall.

Are carrots healthier, raw or cooked? ›

Carrots. Raw carrots are fine, but cooked carrots are better for you. Cooking carrots allows beta carotene, an antioxidant compound that gets converted to vitamin A in the intestine, to absorb more easily in the body, explains Beckerman.

Are carrots anti-inflammatory? ›

Carrots. Beta-carotene is one of the main reasons carrots made this list of anti-inflammatory foods. A powerful antioxidant, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. This vitamin is essential for your health.

What enzyme is found in carrots? ›

Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A with the help of an enzyme called beta-carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1). A genetic variation determines if you have a more or less active version of BCO1. People with a less active enzyme could need other sources for vitamin A in their diet, Amengual says.

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