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CARROTS Benefits:
Drawbacks:
The greatest nutritional benefit of the carrot is that it’s an excellent source of beta carotene. Research has linked low beta carotene levels in the blood with increased risk of some cancers. There is also evidence that high intakes of beta carotene may help protect your body against the damage caused by free radicals. The body converts beta carotene into vitamin A, which is needed for healthy vision as well as the maintenance of mucous membrane. SEEING IN THE DARK One of the first signs of vitamin A deficiency is ‘night blindness’, the inability of the eyes to adjust to dim lighting or darkness. Vitamin A combines with the protein opsin in the rods of the retina to form visual purple (rhodopsin), a substance in the eye which is needed for good night vision. If you are deficient in vitamin A, one carrot a day should be enough to improve your night vision. Better raw or cooked? Unlike most other vegetables, carrots are more nutritious eaten cooked than eaten raw. Because raw carrots have tough cellular walls, the body is able to convert less than 25% of their beta carotene into vitamin A. Cooking however, breaks down the cell membranes, and as long as the cooked carrots are served as part of a meal that provides some fat, the body can absorb more than half the carotene. Puréed carrots are good for babies with diarrhoea, providing essential nutrients and natural sugars. Peeling the skin can be better. Carrots have been known to contain toxic chemicals: recent routine test in Britain found unacceptably high levels of organophosphorus pesticides (used to kill carrot flies) in some carrots. Peeling carrots and slicing off there tops removes almost all of these residues. |