You Need To Know These About Carrots..

lowers cholesterol

Carrots contain high amounts of soluble fiber, largely from pectin, which could be the reason they’ve been shown to lower cholesterol. Participants who ate about a cup of carrots each day for three weeks lowered their blood cholesterol levels, a U.S. government study found.

 

Good vision.

Carrots can protect against sight issues caused by vitamin A deficiency. The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A, says Hans Fisher, PhD, a professor emeritus of nutritional biochemistry from Rutgers University, and that’s important for healthy eyes. Carrots can prevent cataracts and macular degeneration, as well as night blindness, which keeps eyes from adjusting to the dark.

Stop memory loss

Middle-aged people who ate the lowest amount of root vegetables showed more than three times as much cognitive decline as those who ate the most, according to a Netherlands study. Researchers concluded that the beta-carotene in the vegetables—especially from carrots—protected the central nervous system against aging. An 18-year Harvard study determined that when men consumed 50 mg supplements of beta-carotene every other day, cognitive decay was delayed for the equivalent of 1 to 1.5 years compared to those who took a placebo.

Cancer

Antioxidants in carrots, including beta-carotene, may play a role in cancer prevention. Research has shown that smokers who eat carrots more than once a week have a lower risk of lung cancer,while a beta-carotene-rich diet may also protect against prostate cancer.

The consumption of beta-carotene is also associated with a lower risk of colon cancer.while carrot juice extract may kill leukemia cells and inhibit their progression.

Carrots also contain falcarinol, a natural toxin that protects carrots against fungal disease. It’s thought that this compound may stimulate cancer-fighting mechanisms in the body, as it’s been shown to cut the risk of tumor development in rats.

Liver Protection

Carrot extract may help to protect your liver from the toxic effects of environmental chemicals.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Carrot extract also has anti-inflammatory properties and provided anti-inflammatory benefits that were significant even when compared to anti-inflammatory drugs like Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen and Celebrex.

Cooking May Increase the Health Benefits of Carrots

Carrots eaten raw are an excellent food, but there is some research showing that cooking them may actually help to boost their nutritional content. Interestingly, one study found that cooked carrots had higher levels of beta-carotene and phenolic acids than raw carrots, and the antioxidant activity continued to increase over a period of four weeks. Adding carrot peels to a carrot puree also boosted antioxidant levels.

carrots is  one case where gentle cooking, such as steaming, is preferred.

As for storage, keep them in the coolest part of your refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag or wrapped in a paper towel, which should keep them fresh for about two weeks. Avoiding storing them near apples, pears or potatoes, as the ethylene gas they release may turn your carrots bitter

 

 

sources:

• US Department of Agriculture
• Biol Pharm Bull.2006.June
• Dukehealth.org.
• Randy fritz,real food for life
• Marissa Laliberte.readers digest
• mercola.com