It is often thought that carrots are ultimate health food. You probably heard many times that you should eat carrots because they are very good for you.
However, the question is how carrots got such a good reputation and why are they so good for your health?
It is believed that thousands of years ago, the carrot was first cultivated in the area which is now known as Afghanistan as a yellow root with a bitter and woody flavor, resembling nothing of the carrot what we know these days.
Long before the appearance of the now popular orange carrot, red, white, yellow and purple carrots were cultivated. The orange carrot was developed and stabilized in the 16th and 17th centuries by Dutch growers. The modern day carrot has been bred to be aromatic, sweet and crunchy.
There are a lot of health benefits that come from carrot juice and here are some of them, which are good for your wellbeing and overall health.
1. Prevention of heart disease
According to a study from Edinburgh in Scotland, you can drop your cholesterol levels by 11% if you eat seven ounces of raw carrot a day for three weeks. One of the major factors for heart disease is high cholesterol.
In order to prevent heart-related problems, it is a good idea to consume a healthy dose of carrots since regular consumption of carrots reduces your cholesterol levels. This vegetable can reduce the chances of having a heart attack and people who eat carrots had 1/3 as high a risk of heart attack as compared with people who ate fewer carrots.
2. Blood pressure
Eat a carrot next time your blood begins to boil. Potassium can be found in carrots. It can relax the tension in your blood arteries and vessels, thereby increasing circulation and blood flow, reducing the stress on the cardiovascular system, and boosting organ function throughout the body. High blood pressure is directly linked to strokes, heart attacks, and atherosclerosis, so this is one more heart-healthy aspect of carrots.
3. Immune booster
Carrots contain a lot of antibacterial and antiseptic abilities which make it ideal for boosting your immune system. In addition, carrots are very high in vitamin C, and this vitamin is one of the most important factors in your immune system and it stimulates white blood cells activity.
4. Digestion
Just like most vegetables, carrots also have a big amount of dietary fiber in those orange roots, and it is known that fiber is one of the most important elements in keeping good digestive health. Fiber adds bulk to stool, which makes it easy to pass smoothly through your digestive tract.
This can reduce the severity of conditions such as constipation and protect your stomach and colon from many serious illnesses, like colorectal cancer. By eliminating excess LDL cholesterol from the walls of blood vessels and arteries, fiber also boosts heart health.
5. Prevents cancer
The consumption of beta-carotene is linked to a reduction of some cancers, such as lung cancer. It has been discovered that increased consumption of beta-carotene from 1.7 to 2.7 milligrams per day can reduce lung cancer risk by more than 40%. The average carrot has about 3 milligrams of beta-carotene.
6. Macular degeneration
This is typically eye disease of older people which impairs functions of the macula. One study has shown that people who ate a lot of beta-carotene had 40% lower risk of macular degeneration compared to people who consumed less.
7. Improves eyesight
Deficiency of vitamin A can lead to difficulty seeing in dim light. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, and the vitamin A can prevent conditions such as night blindness and improve eyesight.
8. Oral health
The organic compounds found in carrots are good for mineral antioxidants. Also, carrots can induce excess saliva and stimulate the gums. Saliva is an alkaline substance that combats the foreign bodies and bacteria which can often result in halitosis, cavities, and other oral health risks.
9. Stroke
People who eat a carrot every day reduce their risk of stroke by 70%. A study has shown that patients with highest levels of beta-carotene had the highest rate of survival.
10. Diabetes
Due to the presence of carotenoids, carrots are good for blood sugar regulation. Carotenoids lower blood sugar by affecting insulin resistance, thereby helping diabetic patients live a healthy, normal life. In addition, carotenoids regulate the amount of glucose and insulin that is being used and metabolized your body, providing healthy fluctuation for people who have diabetes.