Forget about vitamin A tablets. With this orange crunchy root vegetable, you get vitamin A and a host of other powerful health benefits, including beautiful skin, cancer prevention and anti-aging. Learn how to get the most out of this amazing vegetable.
Useful properties of carrots
1. Vision improvement Everyone knows that carrots are good for the eyes. This vegetable is rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the liver. Vitamin A is converted in the retina to rhodopsin, a purple pigment essential for night vision.
Beta-carotene also protects against macular degeneration and senile cataracts. A study found that people who ate a lot of carrots were 40 percent less likely to develop macular degeneration than those who ate little carrots.
2. Cancer prevention Studies have shown that carrots reduce the risk of lung cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. Carrots are one of the few common sources of the cancer-fighting compound falcarinol. Carrots produce this compound to protect their roots from fungal diseases. A study found that mice fed carrots were three times less likely to get cancer.
3. Fight against aging High levels of beta-carotene act as an antioxidant and slow down cell aging.
4. Skin that glows with health from within Vitamin A and antioxidants protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Vitamin A deficiency can cause dry skin, hair and nails. Vitamin A prevents premature wrinkles as well as dryness, pigmentation and uneven skin tone.
5. Powerful antiseptic Carrots have been known since ancient times as an infection fighter. It can be applied to wounds – grated and raw or in the form of boiled mashed potatoes.
6. Beautiful skin (on the outside) Carrots are used to make an inexpensive and very healthy face mask. Just mix grated carrots with a little honey and apply the mask on your face for 5-15 minutes.
7. Prevent heart disease Studies show that diets high in carotenoids are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Carrots have not only beta-carotene, but also alpha-carotene and lutein.
Regular consumption of carrots also lowers cholesterol levels, as the soluble fiber in carrots binds to bile acids.
8. Cleanse the body Vitamin A helps the liver flush out toxins from the body. This reduces the content of bile and fats in the liver. The fiber present in carrots helps speed up the movement of stool.
9. Healthy teeth and gums It’s just wonderful! Carrots clean your teeth and mouth. It scrapes off plaque and food particles like a toothbrush with toothpaste. Carrots massage the gums and promote the secretion of saliva, which alkalizes the mouth and prevents the growth of bacteria. Minerals contained in carrots prevent tooth decay.
10. Stroke Prevention Given all of the above benefits, it’s no surprise that a Harvard University study found that people who eat more than six carrots a week are less likely to have a stroke than those who eat just one a month.