Carrots contain calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, vitamin C, and an incredible amount of vitamin A. The alpha-carotene in carrots has shown promise in inhibiting tumor growth. Carrots also contain the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which work together to promote eye health and prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. In Chinese medicine, carrots are used to treat rheumatism, kidney stones, tumors, indigestion, diarrhea, night blindness, ear infections, earaches, deafness, skin lesions, urinary tract infections, coughs, and constipation.
How much:
Eat a serving of carrots each day if you can, and enjoy them year-round. Carrots are good for you whether they’re raw or lightly cooked; cooking helps break down the tough fiber, making some of the nutrients more easily absorbed. For the best nutrition, go for whole carrots that are firm and fresh-looking. Precut baby carrots are made from whole carrots and, although they’re convenient, they tend to lose important nutrients during processing.
Tips:
Remove carrot tops before storing them in the fridge, as the tops drain moisture from the roots and will cause the carrots to wilt. Buy organic; conventionally grown carrots frequently show high pesticide residues.
2 Comments
Mindy Whipple
April 12, 2013 at 11:22 amMy grandad used to always tell us to eat our carrots to help our vision and our spuds so we wouldn’t dry up and blow away 🙂 I love fresh carrots straight from the garden (after washing of course).
Robyn
April 13, 2013 at 8:29 amLOL, my grandma used to say the same about carrots but I’ve never heard that about potatoes – cute!
I love fresh carrots too, Mindy, and so do the raccoons and bunnies. I have yet to find a way to keep them from stealing the carrots. They seem to have a way of knowing exactly when they are ready!