HEALTH BENEFITS OF CARROT

Extremely tired after busy work schedule, Feeling exhausted by the extra workout, we need energy drinks to re-energies our body. The Instant energy drink that has a lot of caffeine content!!! It Energizing you instantly,but is it healthy? These energizing drinks are always an alternative to what Mother Nature has bestowed us with. Several fruit and vegetable juices serve as a better option of instant energy source.Carrot juice is one of the best among them. 

Carrot juice is a multiple benefit drink that not only gives instant energy but also has long last health benefits. A treat to the taste buds, a glass of carrot juice each day is enough to take care of your health.

There are multiple nutrition benefits of carrots. First of all, carrots can be a good exercise for the teeth. They are usually hard to chew and consume. On the other hand, juice has no criteria as hard or soft. Just drink and reap the benefits.Carrots contains beta-carotene, the color pigment in carrot gets assimilated in such a manner that less than 5% of it is used by the human body. On the other hand, juice contains all the nutrients, including beta-carotene in a much simpler colloidal form. This makes it easier for the body to absorb them and hence a significantly better amount of each is absorbed.

Diet experts have encouraged more consumption of fruit or vegetable than their respective juices for the rich fiber content which gets filtered out in the juice. Since carrot juice is more of an energy drink, taking fibers out increases the pace by which digestion takes place. Hence, preferring carrot juice instead of the vegetable would not be a bad idea after all.

Nutritional Facts of Carrot Juice 

Energy         393 kj/94 kcal

Protein         2.24 g

Cholesterol         0 mg

Fibre         1.9 g

Carbohydrate         21.92 g

Sugar         9.23 g

Fat                 0.35 g

Saturated Fat         0.064 g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.017 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.168 g

Sodium         68 mg

Potassium         689 mg

Types of vitamins fetched in a cup of carrot juice are Vitamin A, various types of vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K.  It also contains calcium, iron, phosphorus etc.

Benefits of Carrot/Carrot juice

Carrots are considered super-foods for fertility and help boost the quality and quantity of sperm. But there are far more health benefits of eating carrots.

Eyesight Improvement

Beta carotene, a compound which gives color to carrot, is known to improve the eyesight. This is a complex vitamin compound and yields vitamin A after it is broken down by the liver. Vitamin A in turn increases the retinal power of the human eye, thus enhancing the eyesight.

Eyesight problems

Eyesight improvement is the reason why computer programmers, game testers etc. are advised to have carrot juice.

Benefits for skin

Carrots are rich in antioxidants and vitamin A, both responsible for healthy skin, hair and nails.Vitamin A smooths down the skin, removes dryness and keeps nails, hair healthy.Anti-oxidants plays an active role in tissue maintenance processes of repair and damage. Anti-oxidants like carotene also protect the skin from getting damaged when exposed to the sun for a long time.

Also known to improve the skin shade to reddish colors. This can be achieved either by regularly taking the juice or applying juice based paste on the skin. When applied on skin, also lightens up the scars, making the skin smoother.

Carrot juice contains traces of vitamin K, which is responsible for regenerating cells whenever they get damaged in an injury. The process of physical recovery from an injury also gets accelerated when carrot juice is regularly taken in a diet.

Liver Detoxification

Carrots are considered detox food, as it cleanses the liver. Carrots help reduce bile and fat storage in the liver. Carrot juice is recommended by medical experts as a detoxifier which improves blood quality and cleanses out liver. Gall bladder, which works in close association with liver, also reaps the benefits of detoxification.

Carrot juice is useful when a person contracts Jaundice. Jaundice is known to damage liver and its associated organs’ functioning. Consuming carrot juice is very good for body as it cleanses out the liver. Also, pale colored skin, a characteristic of Jaundice, is a result of imbalance in bile flow through liver and gall bladder. Carrot juice detoxifies liver, thus improving skin complexion.

Reduce Cancer Risk

Carotenoids, the anti-oxidant in which carrots are rich, are regarded as cancer fighter elements as they aid in normal cell growth and maintenance process.  Controlling irregular growth of cells, carotenoids prevent many types of cancers such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, oral cancers, bladder cancers etc.

Prevent Infection

Raw carrot or boiled are applied on cuts and wounds as an antiseptic. Carrot juice has been found to be effective against a number of infections such as tonsillitis, infections of the digestive tracts and skin infections. It also increases the body’s immunity to fight when it comes in contact with infection causing agents.

Keeps the Lung Clean

Lungs are responsible for blood purification as they filter the impure blood by giving oxygen to them. Since, carrot juice improves the overall blood quality, it also eases out the task of the liver. A recent study showed that smokers who did not consume carrot juice had a 3/4th more risk than those who did. The reason for this is the control over cell replacement and maintenance that compounds in carrot juice have.

During Pregnancy

Carrot juice is good for pregnant mothers due to beta-carotene based contents. Also, for lactating women, carrot juice would enrich the milk supply. Calcium, vitamin E improve the health along with giving immunity with carotenoids.

Instant Energy

Pleasantly sweet in its taste, carrot juice contains sufficient amount of natural sugars to instantly charge a person in a quick span of time.

Anti-ageing

Carrots are considered anti-ageing foods as they are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that fights free radicals.

Cardiovascular diseases

Beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lutein are antioxidants that fight cholesterol. Carrots are also fibrous; hence it helps soak out bad cholesterol.

Strengthen Bones and Teeth

Consumption of carrots improves the dental health by clearing plaque. Biting on carrots increases the production of saliva, hence balances the acid level which fight cavity-causing bacteria. Phosphorous, sodium and calcium content in carrot juice increase the bone density and are beneficial for ones suffering with loose teeth and weak skeleton.

Anti-Anemia

Iron content in carrot juice is assimilated in blood which eventually increases hemoglobin and anemic body conditions could be recovered.

Weight Loss

Last but not the least, carrot juice provides less than 100 calories and are a boon drink for those who are health conscious and want to watch over weight.

How to Consume Carrot Juice

One can consume carrot juice in its native form or can mix it with several other juices and spices. Mixing carrot juice with orange juice and mint is a well-known “mocktail”. Adding some ginger to it is also great feast in terms of taste and health.

Adding some rock-salt or plain salt to the juice is also popular among people who love spices. This gives the juice a tangy-sugary taste to enjoy.

It is usually advised to take the juice in most fresh form but since carrot is not a perennial vegetable, tetra pack juice and cans are also commercially successful.

Carrot juices are thin, opaque and taste best when consumed chill. Best way to store the juice, if needed, is in a freezer.

Precautions:

Carrot juice, though one of the best vegetable juices around, requires some precautions for a specific set of people. A glass of carrot juice will approximate contain only 80 calories but since a major of those calories comes from sugars, the juice becomes a concern for those suffering from sugar related health problems.

Also, since juice is a blend of several natural compounds, a person who is allergic to one of them, would in turn be allergic to the juice too. Consumption of carrot juice is hence, not advisable to these people.

This juice is one of those natural drinks which are well beneficial when taken in limited quantities. Unless specified by a doctor, one does not need to take more than 1 glass of carrot juice in day.