Properties of carrots

CARROTS AND BETA- CAROTENES

CARROTS are rich in carotenes, some compounds that the liver transforms in vitamin A. Among all carotenes the most important one is beta -carotene. This component appears in orange and dark green vegetables , as cabbages, potatoes, pumpkins, and spinach or in fruits, as mangos, grapefruits,apricots or melons. It has been found that carotenes prevent the appearance of certain cancers, especially lung or mouth ones or impede the development of cancerous cells, making that pre-cancerous cells don't become cancerous. It has also been proved the antioxidant power of beta-carotene. Its ingestion protects us against the destructive action of the free radicals, some agents produced by external causes, as contamination or by internal causes of our own body that attack our cells producing degenerative illnesses, as a premature aging, bad arterial health or cancer.


Among all the medicinal properties of beta-carotenes we could mention the following ones: anti-cancerous, anti-mutagenic, anti-tumoral, inmunoestimulant, anti-coronary, anti-ulceric, anti-photobic or anti-degenerative. Carotenoids possess such important virtues as to protect our arteries . Its presence in the body guarantees the good health of the vision, impeding the formation of the cataracts or hypersensibility to sun light; the good state of our skin, our teeth or our gums. Their deficiency can produce lack of vision - night blindness -, dryness in the skin, juvenile acne or a bigger easiness for infections. They protect our stomach, impeding the formation of ulcers or they help us to stay younger during more time.

However, in spite of all their benefits, studies carried out in smokers that took supplements of beta -carotenes demonstrated a bigger incidence in lung cancers than in smokers that didn't take this component. This induced the doctors to advise people to take this beta-carotene from foods instead of taking it isolated or in combination with other vitaminic supplements until more conclusive studies on the topic are carried out . A natural solution consists on a good diet containing products rich in this component which can only produce beneficial effects

The consumption of foods rich in beta-carotenes develops a yellowish pigmentation on the consumer skin, specially in the palm of the hand. (hypercarotenodermia ) I does not cause any harm at all and progressively disappears as we stop to eat these foods in big quantities

Carrots are laxative so that they are useful to avoid or to solve constipation. It has been proved that their ingestion favors a good intestinal regulation, preventing the appearance of colon cancer. At the same time, because their wealth in pectins, they constitute a good remedy to combat diarrhea, being very interesting in cases of infantile abnormal evacuation. Besides carotenes, they contain a lot of vitamin C and iron which are very suitable for everybody, including for babies' health. A carrot, well-boiled, crushed and sieved can be suitable for a baby's meal . It is very digestible and it helps to keep the digestive tract in good state, as well as to favor the formation of the red globules, preventing the anemia.

Eating carrots will help us to diminish cholesterol and to prevent arteriosclerosis. It is an alkalinizer element that helps to purify blood. Carrots also constitute a good resource to get rid of intestinal worms. It is a good natural remedy to eat half cup of grated carrot without breakfast and leave the stomach empty for an hour and a half so that it can be well digested. Carrying out this treatment during 4 or 5 days can eliminate the annoying parasites.

They can externally be used to cure skin problems, as eczema, wounds or solar burns. They are very useful to palliate the destructive action of the ultraviolet rays, reason why they take part in the composition of many solar filters. A mask of carrot pulp during half hour also favors the smoothness of the skin, eliminating the wrinkles or avoiding them to appear.

To take advantage of carrots wealth in vitamins and minerals it is convenient to eat them raw in salads, mixed with other fruits or vegetables, although it has been demonstrated that a slight cooking increases its content in beta - carotene. For more delicate stomachs they can be taken in form of juices, even in combination with other fruits, grated or cooked with other vegetables or in purees with a bit of olive oil. We have to keep in mind that beta-carotenes are quickly oxidized in contact with the air, so that we should consume beta carotene-containing foods as fresh as possible. In the event of peeling or grating them, they should be eaten immediately.

A raw grated carrot with a little bit of lemon is very appropriate appetizer, which can also be used in alimentary dysfunctions, as anorexia.

Source: USDA Nutrient Data Base