10 Benefits of Carrots – the Crunchy Superfood Is So Good for You

Forget about Vitamin A pills. With this orange crunchy superfood, you get Vitamin A and a host of other powerful health benefits including beautiful skin, cancer prevention, and anti- aging.

Benefits of Carrots

Read how to get maximum benefits from this amazing vegetable.

10 Health Benefits of Carrots

1.  Improves Vision:

Western culture’s understanding of carrots being ‘good for the eyes’  is one of the few we got right.  Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the liver. Vitamin A is transformed in the retina, to rhodopsin, a purple pigment necessary for night vision.Beta-carotene has also been shown to protect against macular degeneration and senile cataracts. A study found that people who eat large amounts of beta-carotene had a 40 percent lower risk of macular degeneration than those who consumed little.

2.  Cancer Prevention:

Studies have shown carrots reduce the risk of lung cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer. Researchers have just discovered falcarinol and falcarindiol which they feel cause the anticancer properties.

Falcarinol is a natural pesticide produced by the carrot that protects its roots from fungal diseases. Carrots are one of the only common sources of this compound. A study showed 1/3 lower cancer risk by carrot-eating rats.

3.  Slows Down Aging

The high level of beta-carotene in carrots acts as an antioxidant to cell damage done to the body through regular metabolism. It help slows down the aging of cells.

4.  Health Glowing Skin

(from the inside)
Vitamin A and antioxidants protects the skin from sun damage. Deficiencies of vitamin A cause dryness to the skin, hair and nails. Vitamin prevents premature wrinkling, acne, dry skin, pigmentation, blemishes, uneven skin tone.

5.  A Powerful Antiseptic.

Known by herbalists to prevent infection. They can be used on cuts shredded raw or boiled and mashed.

6.  Beautiful Skin

(from the outside)
Carrots are used as an inexpensive and very convenient facial mask.  Just mix grated carrot with a bit of honey. See full recipe at carrot face mask.

7.  Prevents Heart Disease

Studies show that diets high in carotenoids are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Carrots have not only beta-carotene but also alpha-carotene and lutein.

The regular consumption of carrots also reduces cholesterol levels because the soluble fibers in carrots bind with bile acids.

8.  Cleanse the Body

Vitamin A assists the liver in flushing out the toxins from the body. It reduces the bile and fat in the liver. The fibres present in carrots help clean out the colon and hasten waste movement.

9.  Healthy Teeth and Gums

It’s all in the crunch! Carrots clean your teeth and mouth. They scrape off plaque and food particles just like toothbrushes or toothpaste. Carrots stimulate gums and trigger a lot of saliva, which, being alkaline, balances out the acid-forming, cavity-forming bacteria. The minerals in carrots prevent tooth damage.

10.  Prevent Stroke

From all the above benefits it’s no surprise that in a Harvard University study, people who ate five or more carrots a week were less likely to suffer a stroke than those who ate only one carrot a month or less.

Wild little rabbit with carrot

Fun Facts on Carrots

  • Rabbits love to eat carrots but they shouldn’t eat too much.
    Remember that a rabbit eating a single carrot is like us eating over twenty!  They like the sweetness and carrots are good for their teeth and don’t have white sugar but even too many natural sugars cause digestive problems and diabetes. They probably would do better with the carrot tops.  We would benefit from tops also but probably won’t eat them!
    Carrots are the second most popular type of vegetable after potatoes.
  • The biggest carrot recorded is more than 19 pounds and the longest is over 19 feet!
    You can see them at this link biggest carrot but they aren’t particularly pretty!
  • There are over 100 species of carrots.
    Some are big. Some are small and they come in a variety of colours including:
    Orange Carrots  Purple Carrots  White Carrots   Yellow Carrots  Red  Carrots
  • English women in the 1600’s often wore carrot leaves in their hats in place of flowers or feathers.
  • The name “carrot” comes from the Greek word “karoton,”
    The beta-carotene that is found in carrots was actually named for the carrot itself!
carrots kissing
Just love carrots

The average American eats about 12 pounds of carrots a year.
That’s only one cup per week.  We could easily triple that with great benefits if we were also eating a variety of other vegetables.

How To Eat Carrots

The nutrition in carrots is tightly encased in protein sacs that have to be broken by heat (cooking) or mechanical action (grinding, juicing, proper chewing).
Cooking the carrots in fat, oils or pureeing, juicing them increases the availability of carotenoids by 600%.
Fats help the absorption of carotenoids into the blood by 1000% as carotenoids are fat-soluble.

Delicious Carrot Recipes for You

carrot salad
Carrot salad with black currants and sunflower seeds

 Carrot Salad with Currants & Sunflower Seeds Is So Healthy and Delicious! – This carrot salad with black currants and sunflower seeds is especially unique and so tasty. Also, it is filling too.

 Carrots with Arame – carrots with seaweed is so good for us and this is a very tasty recipe.

Leeks
Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup with Carrots

 Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup with Carrots – I created this potato leek soup at the end of September here in Edmonton, it felt like winter was almost here!  This filling and warming soup is perfect for a yummy lunch. The recipe makes a big pot of soup which fed two of us for two lunches. It tastes so good that we also enjoyed it the second day too. Not only is it delicious it is full of healthy real foods too making it a very nutritious meal.

 Carrots with Orange – A surprising but delightful combination which is so tasty.

 Carrots with Arame – carrots with seaweed is so good for us and this is a very tasty recipe.

 Adzuki Vegetable Bean Stew Recipe -This aduki bean stew is a simple recipe made with one of the easiest to digest beans; adzuki beans. I love Adzuki beans and this tasty stew is filling and delicious.This stew is a good source of protein and it is good to eat lots of vegetables too.

Chili Con Vege: Here is Diana’s version of Chili filled with carrots.

100+ Superfoods

Learn more about some of the healthiest vegetables and fruits for vegans and vegetarians that you will always want to have in your fridge or pantry

READ: Superfoods – Over 100 of the Healthiest Foods You Should Have in Your Diet and learn more about the variety of Superfoods we think you should have in your diet.

vital healt assessment

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23 thoughts on “10 Benefits of Carrots – the Crunchy Superfood Is So Good for You”

  1. Hi Diana and Randy.

    I read this article on Care2 but had a question. I juice carrots in my juicer, as you suggest— but also put them raw inside my blender along with an apple, walnuts, fruit, etc. and blend it. Does blending raw carrots in a blender count as puree, as you mention above? I also steam them, is that OK to get all the nutrients?

    Randy, the carrot mask recipe is something I will try soon. Diana, I tried your gingerbread cake recipe and it was a big hit.

    Thanks for your help, I’m rather new at this all. I’m a big fan of your Care2 articles. Haven’t had a chance yet to explore your website, but will soon. Thanks again.

    1. Hi Mac. You can blend AND/OR steam. I know people use them both ways. I have not tried facial masks personally myself. Being a guy I will have to rely on internal nutrition plus my natural rugged good looks to get by. (joke!)

  2. The ultra best carrot for your health is the purple carrot. It has more in it than an orange carrot. Good for high antioxidants. Good for lowering BP, Cholesterol and you will see it helped the couple cure themselves of Cancer. I guess too that you have to really have to be on the page and keen to give it a go and drop all the other stuff that can impinge badly on your body ie smoking, alcohol, junk foods and the like. Anyway I have eaten them and they taste great.

    They are heirloom carrots.
    Oh you gotta love Aussies for doing a YouTube. I actually saw this on my tv not that long ago. to Aussies!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwN7ZReKCoI

    Oi! Oi! Oi!

    1. Thanks Annie. Yes purple carrots DO have lots of benefits. I am particularly interested in them. We focused on orange since everyone has easy access and we wanted to encourage that but if people can find or grow purple – that is great.

  3. http://www.purple-carrots.com/uncategorized/the-many-health-benefits-of-purple-carrots/

    There is much to read in this link to do with the benefits of Purple carrots. It says that eating the ferny leaves of the purple carrot gives you Vitamin K

    Helps with Diabetes too, however, I have learnt over many years that if you bring your blood pressure down, your cholesterol and triglycerides then everything including your Diabetes comes down too as well as eating well your weight comes down and that also helps but if purple carrot can do it all including helping you lose weight..bring it on!

    There is a list about Purple carrots and what you can do with it and what it helps with on the above site. Just look to the right of the home page.

    Yes Diana, Purple carrots are readily available here if you look. They are new at returning to the green grocers and supermarkets but if you ask for them Im sure they will bring them in.
    Cost… surprisingly not that bad but they are a kind of specialty thing so expect to pay a little bit more…. here in Melb Australia, we get a humungous bunch!

  4. Joyce Macaulay

    I want clarifications. Is there anything like eating too much carrot for somebody with Type 2 diabetes

  5. Beryl Achieng

    Hi can anyone eat carrot without blending and it works out the same as the one who has blended .Does it reduce stomach fats.Thank you

  6. Hafizu sabo muhammad

    Comment…Mr.Randy thanks for inlight ,e about the 10 Benefite of Carrot,then i want be you fnd.

  7. 5 cups daily of juicy carrots are safe to fight nodules or to prevent cancer or is it too much and unsafe ?

  8. lebete nwineh

    Carrots are source of vitamin benefits ,carrots contain Vitamin A which assists the liver in flushing out the toxins from the body. It reduces the bile and fat in the liver. The fibres present in carrots help clean out the colon and hasten waste movements.
    So either you blend or chew it. It Still contain the source of benefit to the body. Carrots is a vegetable so eat 1/2 kg a day or 1kg it could be tries a week to keep you on point.

  9. I was telling a friend that I juice the fresh carrots everyday and it helps me with the vision, however the other friend of mine told her that carrots is rich igien sugar and it is not good with people who are diabetic. Is it true?

  10. Daniel A. M.

    Comment…is carrot good for candidaicies, pls also can carrot help a man to impregnate a woman.

  11. Pretty Aliza

    Rabbits love to eat carrots but they shouldn’t eat too much. … you have written everything right in this topic ..i have also two rabbits and they eat 6 carrots daily 2 carrots at a time .. they are too much cute … one day i was busy i my brothers wedding ceremony and i forget to give them food …. they eat our half traditional woven bed in the garden … hahaha they are too much funny .. please can you notify me when you ever upload any post about rabbits ?

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