Carrots - a remedy for a hundred diseases
A biennial garden vegetable is called a carrot, which in the first year gives a person a useful root vegetable rich in vitamins and macronutrients, and in the second - a seed bush. In our country, carrots, about the useful properties of which have been written many specialized brochures, were brought from the Mediterranean lands. In modern vegetable growing, there are more than 70 main varieties of vegetables, not counting the experimental varieties and varieties with a limited growing area.
An orange root vegetable widely used in kitchen dishes, it is low in calories - only 33 kcal per 100 g of fresh vegetable.
Nutritional value of carrots: a rich set of nutrients and vitamins
- Phytoene.
- Fitofluene.
- Lycopene.
- Ascorbic and pantothenic acids - in small quantities.
- Groups of anticyanidins and flavonoids.
- Essential oils.
- Fatty oils.
- Lysine.
- Histidine.
- Asparagine.
- Methionine.
- Group B vitamins.
- Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
There are so many vitamins in carrots that it is the undisputed leader among the ten most useful vegetables. The high concentration of carotene allows carrots to become a valuable source of biologically active plant pigments. At the same time, it is very cheap, unpretentious in maintenance, capable of growing on any soil and is available throughout the year. The human daily requirement for carotene is 6mg, which is equivalent to 200g of fresh carrots.
Carrot juice contains glucose and several other types of sugar, as well as starch, pectin substances, a large amount of fiber, lecithin and phosphatide groups. If we talk about minerals and their salts, then carrots are saturated with potassium. And besides this: vitamins of group B and D, folic and nicotinic acids, pyridoxine.
Everything you need to know about the health benefits of carrots
Carrots can be treated for a wide variety of diseases. It is used for anemia, bronchitis, skin dermatitis, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, for ophthalmic problems and for scarring open wounds and cuts.
People of older retirement age often develop the so-called night blindness, which occurs due to the lack of vitamins of group A. With such a disease, a person practically does not see anything at dusk. In order for the processes of vitamin synthesis in the liver and gallbladder to take place at the proper level of reactivity, it should be remembered that vitamins of group A will be absorbed best of all together with fats. You can cook dishes not only with the root vegetable itself, but also with carrot tops, which are no less rich in nutrients. The most acceptable in this case are salads seasoned with vegetable oils or homemade sour cream with a high percentage of fat.
Carrots can act on our body as an antiseptic, anthelmintic, choleretic, analgesic, expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent. Freshly squeezed juice stimulates peristalsis and increases the number of muscular contractions in the gastrointestinal tract. You can drink carrot juice either whole or mixed with other vegetables.Such a cocktail will relieve muscle and nervous tension, improve appetite, improve eyesight and weaken the negative effects of pharmaceuticals with prolonged use.
Carrot gruel masks will relieve post-acne and brighten the skin on the face. In winter carrot It is useful to use it as a means that can increase the general resistance of the body and spur immunity. And also to strengthen nails and hair in winter cold.
What is the usefulness of carrots - everyone knows, but can it harm the body? Read also about healthy carrot casserole!
Benefit and harm - how not to upset the balance
But, as in any business, moderation is also needed in the use of carrots for preventive purposes. The benefits of carrots have been proven not only by herbalists and traditional healers, but also by serious pharmaceutical companies, which back up their findings with consistent research procedures. But not every man in the street is familiar with contraindications, although they exist and no one is immune from the consequences of an overdose of vitamin A.
If you do not observe moderation, then in large quantities it can provoke:
- Drowsiness;
- Increased fatigue;
- Migraine;
- Muscle flaccidity;
- Feeling nauseous and vomiting;
- Adverse skin reactions.
In order to avoid an overdose, a fresh vegetable can be included in the diet at the rate of 100 g per adult and 50 g per child under 12 years of age. It is necessary to prepare salads or mono dishes, which are desirable on an empty stomach or before the first course. A person who consumes just such an amount of carrots reduces the risk of suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, gastritis, low acidity, liver and kidney failure.
An excellent effect can be obtained if you include grated and boiled carrots in fat milk in your daily diet. The correct ratio is 1: 1. For pulmonary inflammation, wheezing, prolonged cough and chronic bronchitis, this is the first remedy.
Useful qualities of carrots for weight loss
Nutritionists do not undertake to unequivocally state whether carrots are suitable for inclusion in the list of dietary products, since the sugar content in it is quite high. And yet - it is rich in fiber and due to the coarse dietary fiber, the feeling of fullness comes faster.
Vitamin A contained in the vegetable helps to fight sagging skin and muscles, stretch marks after weight loss, as well as dietary pallor during the process of getting rid of extra pounds.
The ability of carrot juice to act as an antioxidant helps to improve the quality and filling of the blood, which means that the hemoglobin level in it increases. This is a guarantee that physical activity, shown as a way to combat weight, will bring more benefits.
The sweet taste of carrots can replace the lack of desserts, and losing weight will not break down after seeing a chocolate cake or juicy honey cake.
Even without knowing about the beneficial properties of carrots, this vegetable has long been included in the menu in peasant families. It was considered a delicacy to pick a young carrot from the garden and eat it right there. There was a time when sugar was only in wealthy families. The peasants dried planed carrots for the winter and gave them to the children as a delicacy. Dried carrots taste like dried apricots. They constantly baked pies with carrots or fried them, not knowing that vitamin A is better absorbed together with fatty foods. In the modern informed world, everyone knows about the benefits of carrot juice. Mom with a lack of milk will definitely be offered carrot juice. Athletes consider it necessary to drink a glass of freshly squeezed carrot juice or a mixture of carrot and apple.
The set of useful elements in carrots is such that 200 grams of the product satisfies the daily requirement for trace elements and vitamins. Therefore, carrots should be an everyday staple on every table. And the more you need to grow this vegetable in any summer cottage, even a tiny one.