‘Eh! What’s up doc?’ It’s no wonder you saw Bugs Bunny munching on a little carrot all the time. Carrot is a wonder vegetable with loads of nutrients and health benefits. They are filled with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Besides, they are extremely delicious and tasty. Their crunchy juicy inside makes them an absolute treat for the taste buds. They can add a sweet flavor to almost anything. People add them to soups, juices, and even desserts. Other than this, a simple carrot carries so many health benefits. They are good for your eyes, immune system, hair, skin, and much more. This is exactly why Bugs was the smartest character in Loney Tunes. Let’s head over to see the Nutrition values and the wonderful Health Benefits of ours truly, Carrot.
Nutrition Value of Carrot
Ready to get your mind blown? Hear this. Just 100 g of carrots contain 41 kcal energy, 0.93 g protein, 0.24 g fat, 9.58 g Carbohydrates, and 2.8 g Fiber. And that’s not all. In terms of minerals, it contains 33 mg Calcium, 0.3 mg Iron, 12 mg Magnesium, 35 mg Phosphorus, 320 mg Potassium, 69 mg Sodium, 0.24 mg Zinc, 0.045 mg Copper, and 0.1 µg Selenium. Also, it contains 5.9 mg Vitamin C, 0.138 mg Vitamin B-6, 19 µg Folate, 8.8 mg Choline, 835 µg Vitamin A, 256 µg Lutein + Zeaxanthin, 0.66 mg Vitamin E, and 13.2 µg Vitamin K. Lastly, it contains 0.037 g Saturated Fatty Acids, 0.014 g Mono-Unsaturated Fatty Acids, and 0.117 g Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids. Looking at its nutrients, just imagine the number of health benefits the carrot must contain. So, without further ado, let’s check them out.
Health Benefits of Carrot
Rabbits have been munching on these little fellows since the dawn of time. Well, considering the amazing health benefits and nutrients carrot contains, we should have been doing the same. Here is a list of amazing health benefits hidden inside a plain old carrot:
1. Improves Vision
There’s a famous saying “Carrots can help you see at night.” In a way, they are right. Carrot contains loads of vitamin A. In fact, it provides 200% of the total daily requirement. Vitamin A plays an important role in improving our vision. In fact, the lack of it can cause night blindness and make it difficult to see in low lights. Children with Vitamin A deficiency have weak eyesight. Their vision can easily improve by adding carrots to their diet.
Other than this, carrot also contains lutein and zeaxanthin. These components protect the lens and retina. Besides this, they also prevent age-related macular degeneration (vision loss). So, in this way, you can say that carrots really do help us see at night.
2. Weight Loss
Along with the bundle of nutrients, the carrot contains loads of water content. In fact, it is 88% water. Other than that, it is an excellent source of low-calorie dietary fiber. A medium carrot contains only 25 calories. This can make you feel full for a longer time, thus keeping your appetite satisfied.
3. Helps with Digestion
As we mentioned earlier, carrots are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Fiber adds bulks to your stool and makes it pass easily from the intestines. In this way, it helps your stomach with digestion.
4. Makes Hair Healthy and Strong
Now we know the secret behind Rapunzel’s long hair. She must have eaten loads of carrots in her mighty tower. Carrot contains Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and other antioxidants. These nutrients help to make hair healthy and strong. Vitamin C aids our body to make Collagen. It is an important protein in our hair structure. Other than this, Vitamin A adds shine to our hair and encourages its growth.
5. Improves your Skin Health
Vitamin A is your skin’s best friend. Whenever your skin feels a little sad, just munch on a carrot and it’ll be all fine. Carrots get their rich orange color from beta-carotene (Vitamin A). The same compound can make your skin glow brighter and softer. Other than this, Vitamin A can also make your skin appear younger. It gets rid of blemishes, wrinkles, and dark spots.
6. Fights Cancer
Who knew this crunchy delight is also a super-hero in disguise? That’s right Folks. Carrots have the amazing ability to fight cancer. It contains antioxidants, such as beta-carotene and other carotenoids. These compounds make our immune system stronger. Other than this, they also take part in activating cancer-inhibiting proteins. Also, antioxidants lower the risk of oxidative stress in the body, which increases the risk of cancer. Journal of Medical Sciences published a research study in 2011. This study highlighted the ability of carrot juice to kill leukemia cells. It stated that carrot contains bioactive chemicals that can be used to treat leukemia.
7. Strengthens Immunity
The Carrot was one of my favorite vegetables growing up. Their juicy and crunchy sweet flavor was something to truly die for. At that time, I obviously did not know this wonder carrot was filled with such nutrition value and health benefits. Carrot is an excellent source of Vitamin C as well. Now, do you know what that means? This means carrots improves the immune system of your body. This immune system helps to fight different diseases and common illnesses.
8. Good for your Heart
Now, this is really interesting. The nutrition facts of the carrot state that it also contains Potassium, which is a natural vasodilator. This means it helps to regulate our blood pressure. Other than this, eating raw carrots can also lower the level of your cholesterol. This is because raw carrot contains pectin fiber. This compound reduces bad cholesterol present in the body. This overall helps to keep our hearts healthy and strong.
9. Treats Diabetes
Last but not least, carrots aid in diabetes treatment. Have you ever heard of something sweet treating diabetes? Probably not. This is because carrot is rich in dietary fiber and Vitamin A. Individuals with diabetes have a low level of Vitamin A in their blood. Other than this, they also have weak glucose metabolism. For this reason, they are not able to fight oxidative stress. Now, this is where Vitamin A plays its role. Since Vitamin A is an antioxidant, it helps to reduce oxidative stress in the body. Other than this, the dietary fiber present in the carrot helps to improve glucose metabolism as well. In this way, carrots help in treating diabetes.
Associated Risks
These health benefits will make you love carrots even more. However, it is important to know that anything in excess can be bad for your body and health. It is true that carrot is filled with the nutrition value and health benefits, but here are a few things you need to consider before eating them:
- You would have probably heard this before, but eating loads of carrots can make your skin orange. This is because carrots contain beta-carotene. This compound gives the root vegetable its orange-red color. Although it will look really funny, it is actually pretty harmless.
- Carrots can cause pollen-related allergies. If you are allergic to birch pollen or mugwort pollen, it is best if you avoid these.
- Carrot is a root vegetable. This means if it is grown in a contaminated area, it can be toxic to eat. Other than this, carrots can easily be grown in your back garden. To ensure their quality and safety, add a little carrot patch to your kitchen garden.
Conclusion
That’s all, Folks. Here is a list of Nutrition facts and health benefits of The Amazing Carrot. Carrots are an excellent source of Fiber, Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants. Abundant nutrients make carrot good for your hair, skin, and heart. Other than this, they also improve your immunity and help you fight diseases. Lastly, they help in diabetic treatment and fight cancer. As tempted you must be, please don’t go running around stealing them from your rabbits. Go to your nearest grocery store and add a bunch in your cart. Mix them in different recipes or eat them raw.
