All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.

Squash

Sugar

Sweet Potatoes

Tea

Tomatoes

CARROTS

Typical serving size:

½ cup (2
25 oz or 64 g) fresh carrots

HOW THEY HARM

Skin yellowing

WHAT THEY HEAL

High cholesterol Diabetes Cancer Macular degeneration Cataracts Night blindness Native to Afghanistan, carrots are our most abundant source of beta-carotene, a compound that can function as an antioxidant and can also be converted by the body into vitamin A
The more vivid the color of the carrot, the higher the levels of this important carotenoid
One cup of cooked carrots has 70 calories, 4 g of fiber, and about 18 mg of beta-carotene
This provides more than 100% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin A—a nutrient essential for healthy hair, skin, eyes, and bones
Carrots are usually orange, but also come in purple, red, white, and yellow colors
“Baby carrots” aren’t actually baby carrots—they’re regular-size carrots that have been cut and shaped by machines to achieve a uniform appearance

Health Benefits

Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
A U
S
government study found that volunteers who ate about one cup of carrots a day had an average 11% reduction in their blood cholesterol levels after only 3 weeks
The cholesterol-lowering effect is likely because of the high soluble-fiber content of carrots, mostly in the form of pectin
Reduces the risk of diabetes
Beta- carotene is linked to a lower risk of diabetes
One study found that people with the highest blood levels of beta-carotene had 32% lower insulin levels (suggesting better blood sugar control) than those with the lowest levels
Helps prevent cancer
Carrots also contain other carotenoids, including alpha-carotene as well as bioflavonoids, which have been linked to reducing the risk of cancer, especially lung cancer
However, studies have shown that beta-carotene supplements may be particularly harmful to smokers

QUICK TIP:

Consume carrots with a small amount of fat To properly absorb beta-carotene, the body needs a small amount of fat, because carotenoids are fat soluble
Adding a pat of butter or a tsp of olive oil to cooked carrots will help body will fully utilize this nutrient
Helps prevent certain vision problems
Carrots will help protect against two sight-robbing conditions, macular degeneration and cataracts
It also prevents and treats night blindness, an inability of the eyes to adjust to dim lighting or darkness
Health Risk Yellowish tinge in the skin
Excessive consumption of carrots may cause a yellowish tint in the skin
This harmless condition called carotenemia will disappear with reduced intake
If the yellow skin color persists, or if the white portions of the eyes are also discolored, consult your doctor to rule out jaundice, a liver disorder

Allergies

Serve shredded carrots, tossed with lemon and garlic sauce, on cucumber slices

Cook with potatoes, then coarsely mash

Add ½ cup shredded carrots to tomato ragú

Old School

Raw carrots are more nutritious than cooked carrots

New Wisdom

Cooking increases carrots’ nutritional value; it breaks down the tough cellular walls that encase the beta-carotene

Buying Tip

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Buy carrots with bright green tops; this indicates freshness

If the carrots are on display without their green tops, look for firm carrots with smooth, even color without cracks

Storing Tips

Store carrots with the green tops trimmed; during storage, the greens rob the carrots of nutrients and moisture

Carrots keep in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for several weeks in perforated plastic bags