Carrot juice is good for your health, but it can be harmful
Among the variety of vegetable juices, carrot juice is the leader - it has the richest vitamin composition and good compatibility with many vegetables. Despite its popularity, carrot juice can be beneficial or harmful if used incorrectly, especially if you have certain chronic conditions.
With the help of juice from carrots, they not only replenish the body's vitamin reserve, but also fight many diseases. In some cases, it has a preventive effect. It is important to know both the dosage of juice intake and the peculiarities of its use for medicinal purposes, depending on the diagnosis. Indeed, in certain cases, it is completely contraindicated or it can cause side effects.
For the preparation of fresh carrot juice, you should choose vegetables of sweet varieties, preferably medium-sized, since too large carrots are a container for nitrates. If it is possible to use do-it-yourself carrots in the garden, that's great. When buying vegetables from a store or market, you need to carefully inspect them for damage. A whole, firm, juicy carrot without signs of disease is a guarantee that the juice obtained from it will be the most vitamin-rich and beneficial.
Read also the article: beet juice - benefits and harms!
Features of receiving juice
Juice is consumed only fresh, preparing it in an amount sufficient for one dose. Cooking carrot juice with a reserve does not make sense, since almost any juice in the refrigerator loses up to half of its vitamin composition. Of course, it will not cause much harm (if it does not deteriorate), but it will not bring any benefit either.
In order for vitamins from the juice to be better absorbed by the body, it is recommended to add a few drops of olive oil or a spoonful of sour cream to a glass of juice just before use.
Useful properties of carrot juice
Carrot juice is of great benefit due to the complex of vitamins it contains, namely:
- vitamins of groups B, A, C, E, D, PP;
- sodium, potassium, cobalt, iron, iodine, phosphorus;
- calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium and copper;
- beta carotene;
- phytoncides;
- a nicotinic acid.
In terms of calorie content, carrot juice has only 56 kcal, while the protein component per 100 g of the product is 1.1 g, fat - 0.1 g and carbohydrates - 12.6 g. 100 g of carrots contain 84.6 g of water and 1 g dietary fiber.
Drinking carrot juice on an empty stomach has a beneficial effect on the body, in particular on the work of the digestive system, including helping to get rid of toxins and toxins, preventing constipation, bloating, loss of appetite and acidity.
Vitamin A contained in carrots improves the overall condition of the hair and skin, as well as the oral cavity. Carrot juice, when consumed regularly, prevents thyroid diseases.
Magnesium, an element of carrot juice, is also of great benefit to the body.Thanks to this vitamin, the cholesterol level gradually decreases, various types of spasms are relieved. The walls of blood vessels are strengthened, which significantly reduces the risk of thrombosis. Carrot juice inhibits the aging process and has an anti-inflammatory effect, has a calming and strengthening effect on the central nervous system, helps to get out of stress. And the nicotinic acid in the juice improves lipid and fat metabolism.
Vitamin E, which is part of the juice, strengthens the immune system, including that of children, therefore it is recommended to take it during the period of increased viral infections. By crunching a carrot, you can replenish the body's calcium reserves, which, again, is very important during the growth period of children. Calcium from an orange vegetable is absorbed almost completely, in contrast to drugs.
The juice prevents infertility and tumors. It is believed that carrot juice heals various skin injuries and has a preventive effect on bacterial kidney diseases.
Carrot juice will help get rid of worms - it has antiparasitic properties. In this case, you need to take it on an empty stomach in the morning for two weeks. When getting rid of parasites in children, it is recommended to add a little honey to the juice.
It has long been known that carrot juice is involved in the production of female hormones responsible for the condition of the skin and hair, and has a positive effect on the reproductive system of women.
What else is carrot juice good for? It helps to quickly heal and alleviate the course of diseases such as:
- hemorrhoids;
- atherosclerosis;
- angina;
- runny nose;
- laryngitis;
- diseases of the genitourinary system;
- various inflammatory processes.
Carrot juice is recommended for use in the presence of the following diseases:
- frequent stress;
- regular stress on vision and, as a result, its impairment;
- anemia;
- polyarthritis;
- decreased immunity;
- high cholesterol;
- the presence of stones in the bladder and kidneys;
- deterioration of the outflow of bile.
Contraindications to the use of carrot juice
Carrot juice has both beneficial properties and contraindications for use. So, the use of carrot juice is contraindicated in the presence of the following diseases:
- stomach ulcer;
- gastritis in the acute stage;
- chronic pancreatitis in the acute stage;
- increased acidity;
- colitis;
- allergy to this vegetable;
- liver dysfunction.
Restrictions on the intake of carrot juice, depending on the nature of the disease
Carrot juice is recommended to be taken with caution and in limited quantities for people with diabetes (regardless of its type). Large doses of juice can cause blood sugar to rise as carrots taste rather sweet.
Some traditional medicine lovers recommend taking carrot juice with gastritis. However, it is necessary to carefully approach this issue, since, as noted above, in the event of an exacerbation of the disease and with increased acidity, the juice will only bring additional harm.
Before using juice for the treatment of gastritis, be sure to consult with your doctor.
Separately, it is worth talking about the benefits and dangers of carrot juice for the liver. On the one hand, regular use of juice contributes to the accumulation of vitamin A in the liver. It plays a huge role in improving the liver's health and cleansing it of harmful substances. This factor is especially important when taking antibiotics.
However, with excessive consumption of carrot juice (according to some sources - more than 0.5 liters per day), the liver will find it difficult to cope with the absorption of beta-carotene in large quantities. An increase in load can provoke liver dysfunctions and lead to liver diseases. The following symptoms indicate an overdose of vitamin A:
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- lethargy;
- drowsiness;
- headache;
- staining of the skin yellow.
If the above signs appear, you should immediately stop taking carrot juice and contact a medical institution to remove intoxication. Self-medication is unacceptable!
A similar effect of carrot juice in pancreatitis. The presence of chronic pancreatitis allows the use of juice for medicinal purposes (200 g - half an hour before meals for a week). But with an exacerbation of the disease, it is categorically contraindicated to use carrot juice!
Eating carrot juice in children
Juices play an important role in children's nutrition, replenishing their growing body with necessary vitamins and strengthening the immune system. Do not forget that any juice, including carrot juice, should be introduced into the child's diet gradually and in small doses. It is important to observe the individual reaction of the organism. Often children develop allergic reactions in the form of skin rashes.
At what age can you start giving carrot juice for babies? For babies who are breastfed, the juice is injected from the age of 5-6 months, and for artificial people - from 4 months. For the first reception, 0.5 tsp will be enough. In the absence of a negative reaction to the introduction of vegetable juice into complementary foods, the dose is gradually increased after a few days.
If, after the introduction of carrot juice into complementary foods, the baby has signs of bloating, it is necessary to cancel its use.
According to the recommendations of pediatricians, a two-year-old child can be given carrot juice three times a week, 50 ml at a time.
Summing up the benefits and dangers of carrot juice for the body, you can add another positive aspect of its use. Due to the ability of juice to cleanse toxins and toxins, as well as improve digestion, it is often included in the diet for weight loss. And if you carefully follow the recommendations on the use of carrot juice, take into account the state of health, then it will only bring benefits. Bon appetit and be healthy!