Carrots come from the Umbelliferae plant family, along with their relatives; parsnips, parsley, fennel, cumin, dill and anise. There are over 100 varieties of carrots, including purple, yellow, white, and red coloured ones. Known mainly for having high amounts of beta carotene (which is converted into Vitamin A by the liver), carrots also have many more fantastic beneficial nutrients.
WHY ARE CARROTS GOOD FOR MY HEALTH?
Last month, we started talking about the benefits of the phytonutrients in foods. In addition to vitamins and minerals, phytonutrients are important in maintaining and strengthening our health. Carrots contain valuable amounts of vitamins, minerals as well as many important phytonutrients and polyacetylenes.
Benefits of the nutrients include;
- Beta-carotene (orange pigment)- protects cornea against UV light, stimulate our DNA to repair enzymes (metabolic catalysts- helps break down food), protects against heart disease
- Alpha-carotene(orange pigment)- anti cancer properties (10x more than beta- carotene), protects against heart disease
- Lutein (yellow pigment)-protects eyes, thought to be involved in protecting against colon cancer, anti oxidant effect, protects against heart disease
- Vitamin A- converted from Beta carotene- antioxidant and cleansing effect. Helps slow down aging cells, protects skin from sun damage, improves vision protects against macular degeneration, helps the liver to flush out toxins
- Fibre- cleansing effect. Helps to clean out the intestines of waste products and toxins, binds with bile acids to help reduce cholesterol levels
- Vitamin C- strengthening through immune support
- Vitamin K- strengthening bones, involved in normal blood clotting
- Hydroxycinnamic acids: Caffeic, coumaric, ferulic- reduce LDL oxidation, protect against bacteria (eg. bladder infections), anti cancer
- Anthocyanins (purple and red pigment) anti inflammatory effect, anti oxidant,
- Polyacetylenes: Falcarinol and falcarindiol- anti cancer have anti-inflammatory properties and anti-aggregatory properties (that help prevent excessive clumping together of red blood cells), protects against heart disease
- Carrots are also a good source of other essential vitamins and minerals for our health such as; vitamin B1, B2, niacin, B6, folate, vitamin E, phosphorus, manganese and molybdenum.
Carrots can be eaten raw or cooked. It should be noted that because carotenoids are fat soluble, cooking them in fat or oils will increase the availability of carotenoids by over 600 percent . Even though the beta carotenes are more bioavailable through cooking, be careful not to overcook carrots, as you will lose flavour and other nutrients that are not as heat stable. Almost all conventionally grown carrots are grown using pesticides and other chemicals, so if you’re not buying organic carrots, make sure to wash well and peel them before consuming. See our recipes section for ways to enjoy carrots!
Resources
1. http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-benefits-of-carrots.html#ixzz2FR6t643p2. www.whfoods.com
3. Purup S, Larsen E and Christensen LP. Differential Effects of Falcarinol and Related Aliphatic C17-Polyacetylenes on Intestinal Cell Proliferation. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 September 23; 57(18): 8290–8296. 2009.
4. Metzger BT and Barnes DM. Polyacetylene diversity and bioactivity in orange market and locally grown colored carrots (Daucus carota L.). J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Dec 9;57(23):11134-9. 2009.
5. Theodosiou M, Laudet V and Schubert M. . From carrot to clinic: an overview of the retinoic acid signaling pathway. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. Basel: May 2010. Vol. 67, Iss. 9; p. 1423-1445. 2010.
6. Oude Griep L, Verschuren W.M, et al. Colours of fruit and vegetables and 10 year incidence of CHD. British Journal of Nutrition 2011. 106, 1562-1569
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