Carrots - benefits and harms to the body: root, tops or juice?

The attitude to many products familiar to us takes on a new meaning if we evaluate their consumer value from a medical point of view. Despite the fact that the benefits and harms of carrots are not well understood, it is safe to say that this root crop should be present in the diet of everyone who cares about their health.

Carrots - benefits for the body

Carrots - a two-year-old vegetable plant with edible root vegetables and tops. Cultivars of carrots were bred from wild species by selection. Some varieties of plants differ in color variety, but orange roots are considered the most popular.

In modern cooking, carrots are widely used - raw carrots are often used to make juice, salads and marinades. Whereas boiled and stewed root crops are considered to be an excellent addition to the first and second courses, as well as desserts and preservation, including baby food.

Composition and nutritional value of carrots

In addition to excellent taste, the nutritional value of carrots lies in its composition, which, according to doctors, is unique in its effect on the body.

Each root crop contains:

• vitamins - C, E, D, PP, K, group B, as well as beta-carotene, from which vitamin A is synthesized;
• trace elements - zinc, fluorine, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, chromium, iron, nickel, cobalt, iodine, potassium, molybdenum, sodium, chlorine, sulfur, lithium, aluminum, boron, selenium;
• organic substances - carbohydrates (7%), fats (0.1%), proteins (1.3%);
• organic acids;
• mono- and disaccharides;
• starch;
• dietary fiber, including fiber.

The higher the carotene level in carrots, the brighter and more saturated the color of the root crop.

Men and women

Due to its rich composition, carrots have medicinal properties, so its introduction into the diet can have a therapeutic effect.

The beneficial effect of a vegetable on the body is expressed in:

• improving metabolism and accelerating the elimination of toxins;
• activation of intracellular processes;
• elimination of inflammation;
• normalization of digestion and digestive tract, bowel cleansing;
• stimulation of the activity of nerve centers;
• obstruction of the development of malignant tumors;
• strengthening the immune system, increasing resistance to infectious lesions;
• cleansing the liver and normalizing biliary function;
• increased vision, especially twilight.

Root crops of carrots are among the products recommended for dietary nutrition and prevention of vitamin deficiency.

Women use carrots to maintain hormonal balance during menstruation, pregnancy, or during menopause. Biologically valuable plant components help in the fight against infertility.

During pregnancy, the use of carrots allows you to relieve swelling, improve appetite, normalize sleep, strengthen the skeletal system, increase hemoglobin, increase skin elasticity and thus avoid damage during childbirth. For nursing mothers, carrots are a stimulant for the production of breast milk.

In addition, many women have successfully used carrot products to eliminate appearance defects and rejuvenation.

While men are considered carrots as an effective means to improve the functionality of the genitourinary system and increase potency.

Children

For children, carrots are one of the main sources of vitamin A, as well as a product that promotes the absorption of calcium. Therefore, carrot purees and juices are introduced into the diet of babies, starting from eight months, provided that the child does not have a food allergy.

In addition, regular consumption of carrots is indicated for children with low hemoglobin, weak immunity and nervous system, poor eyesight, as well as with teenage rashes.

To get a daily dose of vitamin A, you need to eat two carrots with the addition of a small amount of vegetable oil.

Useful properties of carrot juice and tops

Due to the ability to improve human well-being, carrot root is deservedly considered one of the most useful vegetables. The corresponding level of nutritional and medicinal value is different for carrot juice.

It has been scientifically proven that the benefits of carrot juice are the ability to normalize and improve most of the physiological functions of the body, trigger vital processes inside the cells and regulate carbohydrate metabolism.

Even one glass of carrot juice per day can have a beneficial effect on the body:

• recover;
• normalize the thyroid gland;
• eliminate bad cholesterol;
• strengthen nerves;
• normalize sleep;
• remove worms;
• relieve inflammation with polyarthritis;
• suppress the development of urolithiasis;
• cleanse the intestines and liver.

Moreover, carrot juice does not contain fiber, which is in root crops, so its effect on the intestines is mild.

Daily intake

At the moment, doctors have not come to a consensus about the daily dosage of carrot juice. Nevertheless, a glass of freshly squeezed carrot juice per day is considered the optimal serving.

Exceeding the specified volume increases the functional load on the liver, kidneys and cardiovascular system.

What is useful topper

As it turned out, the useful properties of the tops of carrots are not inferior in value to the root crop and the juice from it.The tops include a large amount of selenium, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, a unique combination of vitamin A and its precursor carotene, nicotinic and pantothenic acid, as well as fluorine, B vitamins, amino acid methionine, essential oils, fiber and potassium.

In some cases, the medicinal properties of the tops even exceed the value of the root crop:

• an obstacle to the development of fatty hepatosis and cirrhosis of the liver;
• strengthening the walls of blood vessels, which is especially important in the treatment of varicose veins;
• the content of a large amount of fiber provides an effective bowel cleansing;
• memory improvement;
• strengthening the nervous system;
• neutralization of cholesterol plaques;
• prevention of senile dementia;
• increased performance;
• vasodilation, improved blood supply;
• normalization of metabolic processes, the removal of excess fluid and the removal of puffiness;
• elimination of spasms.

The use of carrot seeds also provides a therapeutic effect due to the content of essential oil, which has valuable properties for the treatment of dermatological, cardiovascular and gastroenterological diseases.

Boiled or raw carrots - which is healthier?

It is believed that after cooking, vegetables lose their beneficial properties. For carrots, this statement is only partially true.

First of all, boiled carrots is characterized by a higher level of antioxidants than raw root crops, and is able not only to effectively fight cancer cells, but also to prevent the formation of metastases, ensuring the binding and removal of free radicals from the body.

Along with this, boiled carrots are more easily processed by the digestive tract and, accordingly, are better absorbed.

Nutritionists recommend introducing boiled carrots into a diet for weight loss, since the number of calories in a boiled vegetable is much lower.

On the other hand, after heat treatment, the product loses a significant amount of vitamin C, which reduces its value for strengthening the immune system. While most of the beneficial properties of carrots after cooking are preserved.

Reducing the nutritional value of carrots is possible only in case of long-term storage.

What diseases does it help?

The unique composition of carrots and the harmonious ratio of trace elements make this vegetable a powerful tool in the fight against many diseases:

• atherosclerosis and coronary insufficiency;
• constipation and hemorrhoids;
• liver and kidney dysfunctions;
• cholelithiasis and urolithiasis;
• vitamin deficiency;
• frostbite;
• colds;
• stomatitis;
• night blindness;
• hypertension
• varicose veins;
• oncology;
• anemia;
• polyarthritis;
• helminthic invasions.

The introduction of carrots into the diet allows you to cleanse the body of toxins, strengthen the nervous system, and also eliminate various dermatological diseases.

Traditional medicine recipes

Traditional medicine successfully uses carrots as the main component for the treatment of many ailments.

With hemorrhoids. Small candles are made from fresh carrots, before going to bed, they are inserted into the anus and left until the morning. The procedure is performed for two weeks.

Also, with hemorrhoids, a decoction of carrot tops is shown. A spoonful of chopped leaves and stems is poured with hot water, brought to a boil and boiled for 15 minutes. Take daily before bedtime in a glass.

Treatment of hemorrhoids with carrots will be more effective if, along with local exposure, regularly use shabby carrots for food.

With urolithiasis. I use ground carrot seeds. Take a teaspoon three times a day.

A decoction is also prepared from the seeds. Three cups of boiling water are taken on three tablespoons of the fruit and kept in the oven for seven hours. After filtration, take one third of a glass three times a day.

In order to remove stones from the kidneys, carrot juice is taken - three times a day for a tablespoon. The course is three months.

To cleanse the intestines. Carrot juice is an ideal way to gently but effectively release the intestines from accumulated food debris. To do this, drink on an empty stomach 150 ml of fresh juice for several days.

For colds. For cough and sore throat, mashed carrots are used, pre-cooked in milk. For 100 g of carrots take half a liter of milk. After straining, they drink in small sips. The resulting broth can also gargle.

With a cold carrot juice in the nose.

For the prevention of obesity It is recommended to eat salads from grated carrots mixed with finely chopped cabbage and cranberries.

With hypertension. Carrot juice in equal portions is mixed with beet and lemon juice, honey is added and they are taken in a large swig three times a day before meals.

Application in home cosmetology

The use of homemade carrot products can be invaluable for improving your appearance.

Rubbing the face with carrot juice returns the epidermis tone and freshness, regardless of skin type.

To eliminate freckles, carrot juice is mixed with a few drops of lemon juice, and wipe the problem areas.

Masks of finely grated carrots help restore freshness to tired, sore, or aging skin. After exposure to the mask for 15 minutes, a nourishing cream is applied to the face and neck. Anti-aging masks from carrot juice mixed with cottage cheese are also effective.

The use of carrots allows you to restore the health of the hair and strengthen their structure.

If you rub carrot juice into the scalp an hour before washing, you can stop hair loss.

A decoction of carrot tops strengthens hair follicles and helps enhance hair growth. It is enough to soak the curls with a decoction and wrap them with a scarf or towel. You do not need to rinse your head.

To improve the structure of the hair, masks of carrot juice and olive oil and lemon juice are used. The mask is applied to the hair with rubbing movements, then wrapped in a towel. After 20 minutes, rinse with warm water.

Contraindications and possible harm

Despite the enormous benefits that carrots bring to the body, there is a category of people to whom the use of this vegetable is contraindicated.

Carrots and carrot juice are contraindicated:

• people with individual intolerance to trace elements in the composition of the vegetable. Perhaps the development of adverse reactions - rash, edema, shortness of breath;
• patients with diagnosed gastritis and an acute stomach ulcer. Caution should be taken in carrots and with exacerbations of other pathologies of the digestive tract.

Patients with diabetes are allowed to consume a small amount of carrots, due to the high level of sugar in the vegetable.

Undesirable consequences with excessive juice therapy are also possible - drowsiness, staining of the skin yellow (carotene jaundice), headaches.

Carrots are unique in their healing powers and, with a reasonable approach to consumption, can easily restore health, but also rejuvenate the body.