The Benefits of Adding Carrots to your Healthy Lifestyle!
How often do you eat or drink carrots? Are you aware of the benefits? Carrots have a multitude of health which may make it imperative to have. If you have not added carrots to your holistic eating regimen, it may be time to do so sooner rather than later. Carrots are enriched with B-carotene which gives it that beautiful yellowish, orange vibrant hue color.
Carrots are root vegetables that come in an array of different colors, but are primarily known for their beautiful bright orange hue. The purple, yellow, white, and red carrots were around longer than the orange color.
Like so many other vegetables, carrots have an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and fiber that helps to keep the body operating optimally. Carrots are often referenced because of its high Vitamin A content. Carrots are known to improve eye health, but it is helpful for overall improved health too. Carrots contain the antioxidants lutein, zeaxanthin, and the combination of both of them together may help prevent macular degeneration, an age-related type of vision loss. Consider adding carrots to your meal plan or some recipe for you won't regret it.
Carrots help to:
· Improve Eye Health
o The Vitamin A that is present in carrots after it is converted from beta carotene may help your ability to see in things and people in dim or low light areas that may be hard to see in at any other time.
· Improve Digestion
o Because carrots are high in fiber, it helps to remove impurities in the body through constant elimination so that there is no constipation.
· Detox the body
o The intake of carrots which are rich in flavonoids and beta-carotene helps the liver to revitalize itself after detoxification. Eating carrots regularly helps stimulate the bile to flow more freely so that it can remove waste from the body.
· Improve Heart Health
o Carrots contain Vitamin E that helps lower cholesterol which in turn helps to lower high blood pressure, making it helpful for those who suffer from atherosclerosis. The alpha-carotene, lutein, and antioxidants are also helpful in lowering heart attack and stroke risk. Carrots are blood flow regulators that can help vessels loosen up and become wider so that they do not become clogged.
· Improve Your Skin & Youthful Looks
o The intake of carrots via juice or eating raw or even cooking them can make you look years younger than your actual age. The beta carotene in carrots turns back the clock of time on your appearance; it stops the cell degeneration in its tracks. Many will be wondering what your secret is, but you do not have to share if you do not want to.
Side Effects
Too much carrot juice can turn the skin yellowish orange (carotenoderma) to avoid this from happening limit your intake to (1) 8oz juice a day 3 to 5 times a week. If you notice a change in the color of your skin, just reduce your intake and it will turn back to its normal color.
Carrot Juice Recipe
100% Carrot Juice.
Drop in the juicer alone and drink immediately. If you have a masticating juicer most juices stay fresh for up to 3 days, 4 days max. Add ginger, turmeric, and lemon (maybe a clove of garlic) to make it a super medicinal healing concoction. (love theses)
If you are using a blender, make sure to use a highspeed one like a Blendtec or Vitamix to get the job done because carrots are not easy to juice with many other blenders outside of this category. To make things easier you may want to add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of ice to make the juicing process easier in a blender. You can also drop in 1 entire lemon and thumb-size ginger to get a more detoxifying effect with a kick. Use 5 to 7 carrots since the water will dilute some of the sweetness. Play with this recipe in the blender to find the right consistency for you.
Bonus: If you use a juicer to make your carrot juice, be earth-friendly and save the pulp to add to your compost or to make a delicious carrot cake, cookies, ice pops, ice cream, muffins, or waffles the list is endless use your imagination.
This recipe is too easy not to make on your own and if you are in the market to buy some simply get to a big box store where you can get a 52 oz which nets 13 servings for $7.00 or less organic and even less if non-organic. 2.5 lbs. of carrots cost $5.00 or less at these same stores too. So, whether you shop at Walmart, Aldi’s, Whole Foods, Costco/BJS/Sam’s, or your local grocer or farmers market it is not expensive to pick up carrots to experience these wonderful health benefits. *Organic is optimum.