Carrot: properties, benefits, and nutritional value

|Lucía Poyo Vallina

Surely you have often heard that “carrots are good for eyesight.” However, it is much more than that, since the carrot is one of the foods with the most health benefits. In this post, we wanted to delve a little deeper into all the properties this vegetable has. Surely, if it is not yet part of your diet, what we are going to tell you next will make you reconsider it.

And also, discover the properties of fennel and the benefits of avocado oil to complete your diet and have enviable health ;)

Nutritional value of the carrot

Carrots are rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and iodine. They also stand out for their vitamins and low calorie content. This is the nutritional value of 100 g of carrot.

  • Water: 88.29 g
  • Carbohydrates: 9.5 g
  • Proteins: 0.93 g
  • Fat: 0.22 g
  • Fiber: 2.7 g
  • Calcium: 32 mg
  • Iron: 0.4 mg
  • Iodine: 6.50 mg
  • Magnesium: 12 mg
  • Sodium: 68 mg
  • Potassium: 320 mg
  • Phosphorus: 34 mg

What vitamins does carrot have?

Carrot is rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, and K.

How many calories does a carrot have?

Carrot is one of the lower-calorie foods, although depending on how you consume it, these calories can vary. For example, cooked carrot, having less fat and more water, has fewer calories than raw carrot.

To give you an idea, while 100 grams of raw carrot contain approximately 40 kcal, 100 grams of cooked carrot have 30 kcal. Even so, in both cases it is a very small amount, so it is perfect to incorporate into many recipes.

Do carrots make you gain weight?

Carrots do not make you gain weight. It is one of the healthiest foods and should be a Must in any diet due to its low calorie content and its low glycemic index.

If you want to consume the minimum possible calories, we recommend eating it cooked. However, if you want to take advantage of all its vitamins, it is best to consume it raw because cooking destroys much of its vitamins.

Properties and Benefits of the carrot

As you probably already know, carrots are very good for the eyes. But besides this, they can also boast other health benefits.

Good for the eyes

Its antioxidant properties prevent the appearance of cataracts and protect the retinas, preventing macular degeneration. It also helps to increase visual acuity and fight against the symptoms of photophobia or hypersensitivity to sunlight. Its consumption is also a good remedy to treat conjunctivitis or styes.

Strengthens and protects tooth enamel

Eating raw carrots strengthens the teeth and stimulates blood flow in the mouth, preventing bacteria from adhering to the teeth. The fluoride contained in these foods prevents cavities and keeps dental enamel in good condition.

Diuretic effect

Thanks to its high water content and its diuretic effect, the consumption of carrots reduces the chances of having kidney stones or renal calculi. Likewise, it helps to break them down when they are already formed.

Digestive properties

Carrot also has a large amount of fiber that repair the intestinal flora and helps to cleanse the body of impurities. For this reason, it is a perfect home remedy for combat intestinal disordersand stomach pain caused, for example, by stomach ulcers.

Cardiovascular properties

Another health benefit of the carrot is that it helps to stimulate blood flow and prevents the appearance of plaques in the arteries, so regular consumption of this food will promote the health of your heart.

Source of energy

Its high content in potassium and phosphorus makes them an ideal home remedy to fight fatigue or exhausted minds. Also, it is a food that can be very useful for control nerves.

Antibacterial properties

Thanks to its antibacterial properties and its high flavonoid content, you can apply some carrot slices on your external wounds to prevent infection and help repair the skin more quickly.

Strengthens nails and hair

This is one of the most famous properties. Thanks to its beta-carotene content, which in contact with our body transforms into Vitamin A (this vitamin repairs cells damaged by external agents), the carrot is the best remedy for strengthen and revitalize nails and hair. This way, you will avoid hair loss and keep it shiny and soft.

Prevents aging

As we mentioned before, the carrot has antioxidant properties that fight free radicals, so eating this vegetable can be very good for delay the signs of aging and show off soft, youthful, wrinkle-free skin.

Besides these properties, the carrot has many more health benefits, so it is definitely a food you must include in your diet. Juice, puree, raw, cooked... the recipes in which you can enjoy it are endless. What are you waiting for?

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