If you are a fan of vegetables, especially colourful ones, then the orange, crunchy sweet carrot will most definitely be in your top five favourites. Carrots are not only appealing to the eye but are a great source for gaining vitamins and minerals that are great for overall health.
Carrots are known for the huge role they play in our bodies, potentially aiding in good growth development and our immune function. Carrots are most commonly known for their contribution towards quality eye function. The bright orange colour found in carrots is linked to beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a form of antioxidant that is found in carrots. When we consume these orange goodies our bodies convert the beta carotene into vitamin A.
Carrots carry a lot of water between- 86 to 95% and carbohydrates mainly sugar and starch. They are also considered to be low in fat.
Vitamins and minerals found in carrots:
Vitamin A
As noted above, beta-carotene is responsible for the orange colour in carrots and is converted into vitamin A. Vitamin A is an excellent vitamin, especially for our eyes. If you have a low level of vitamin A in your body this can potentially increase your chances of eye problems.
When consuming carrots, your vitamin A gain can help with the production of white blood cells which helps to kill any bacteria or viruses when we fall ill. Vitamin A is also essential for body maintenance, especially in terms of cell growth and healthy bones.
Potassium
Potassium is normally a mineral we associate with bananas. But carrots have good doses of potassium as well, which is important when it comes to our body’s tissues. Eating carrots regularly will result in a good potassium intake which can potentially help with good muscle contraction and the regulation of good blood pressure.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin associated with bone maintenance and blood clotting which helps the body to start the healing process of wounds.
Fiber:
Carrots also contain a good amount of fiber. Soluble fibers are said to help the body with the lowering of our glucose levels and are considered water soluble. Insoluble fibers are associated with helping with the distribution of food throughout the digestive system.
Having carrots in your diet will increase your fiber intake resulting in the gains from both soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fibers are said to potentially help with the absorption of cholesterol and insoluble fibers are said to help with reducing constipation risks.
As we can see, eating your carrots, whether as a quick snack with a little bit of hummus or having it as a side with your delicious Sunday roast, is extremely beneficial. They are a great source for getting certain vitamins and minerals helping our bodies with maintenance from bone health to our eyes. Although these tasty orange vegetables contain all these health benefits it is always important to prioritise moderation.
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