Five Reasons to Eat Carrots if You Carrot All About Your Health
by SixWise.com
Whether they're baby-sized, cooked or eaten with ranch dressing,
it's clear that Americans love their carrots. In just one year, each
American eats almost 10 pounds of them -- that's a substantial
increase from the 6 pounds eaten in the 1960s.
And they're more than just a quick snack food or a colorful addition
to salads and stews -- they're full of health-promoting properties.
So grab a few to snack on while you find out what Bugs Bunny must have
known all along -- how incredibly healthy carrots can be.
Carrots are a smart choice for a sweet-tasting healthy snack: Not
only do they fight cancer, but they taste great too!
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1. Reduce the Risk of Cancer
A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found
that carrots could cut the risk of cancer in rats by one-third. The compound
is called falcarinol, and it's a natural toxin that protects carrots
against fungal diseases. Researchers believe that falcarinol may stimulate
the body's cancer-fighting mechanisms.
One of the study's researchers, Dr Kirsten Brandt, said, "We
already know that carrots are good for us and can reduce the risk of cancer
but until now we have not known which element of the vegetable has these
special properties."
2. Fight Heart Disease
Carrots are a rich source of carotenoids, the metabolic precursors to
vitamin A. In fact, just one cup of carrots contains 16,679 IUs of beta-carotene,
which is more than 250 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).
In one study of 1,300 elderly people, those who ate the most carotenoid-rich
foods were 50 percent less likely to develop heart disease, and 75 percent
less likely to have a heart attack, as those who ate the least. Need more
incentive? The results included people who smoked and had high cholesterol
levels!
Fun Facts About Carrots
-
Carrots
are members of the parsley family, which includes parsnips,
fennel, dill and celery.
-
Carrots are not just orange -- they can also be purple, maroon,
yellow or white.
-
Carrots contain more sugar than any other vegetable except
beets.
-
Baby carrots are not actually babies -- they're whittled
down from larger carrots.
- Carrots are originally from Afghanistan.
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3. Protect Your Vision
Perhaps the most widely known benefit and the reason your mother told
you to eat carrots: they're good for your eyes! Your body converts
beta-carotene in carrots into vitamin A, which is essential for healthy
eyes.
A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to night blindness, which, if left
untreated, can lead to blindness. According to registered dietician Chris
Rosenbloom, "Vitamin A is important in maintaining normal vision,
and worldwide, vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of blindness."
Additionally, vitamin A may help prevent cataracts from forming and may
protect against blindness from macular degeneration -- the world's
leading cause of blindness.
4. Protect Against Emphysema
"Some evidence suggests that vitamin C and beta-carotene may help
protect against a decline in lung function," says Joel Schwartz,
Ph.D., an epidemiologist and senior scientist at the Environmental Protection
Agency. "It may be a very minimal effect in those with emphysema,
but eating foods rich in these nutrients certainly won't hurt and may
help."
Interestingly, it also appears that benzo(a)pyrene, a carcinogen in cigarette
smoke, leads to vitamin A deficiency. In this way, smoking, or being around
those who do, may make you vulnerable to diseases associated with a lack
of vitamin A.
According to Richard Baybutt, associate professor of nutrition at Kansas
State, "There are a lot of people who live to be 90 years old and
are smokers," he said. "Why? Probably because of their diet
... The implications are that those who start smoking at an early age
are more likely to become vitamin A deficient and develop complications
associated with cancer and emphysema. And if they have a poor diet, forget
it."
5. Lower Your Cholesterol
According to a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, eating carrots
may lower cholesterol levels. This may be related to a type of fiber they
contain called calcium pectate. Scottish researchers also found that people
who ate two large carrots everyday for three weeks had an 11 percent decrease
in their total cholesterol levels.
Looking for more food tips? You'll want to read these past SixWise.com
articles:
Sources
The
World's Healthiest Foods
Carrots
May Help Fight Cancer
Vitamin
A and Carotenoids: Antioxidants for Sight
The
Doctor's Book of Home Remedies