Carrots are a great source of various vitamins and minerals. I wish I liked eating carrots, because I’m guilty of eating the wrong kind of snacks. Let me stand corrected, I will eat baby carrots dipped into a lot of Ranch dressing.
The following, courtesy of Newspaper Metro, gives you health benefits of carrots.
When looking to quell hunger pangs that can pop up between meals, many people reach for snacks.
Snacks can be a great way to prevent overeating at mealtime, but such benefits can be negated if people choose the wrong snacks.
Potato chips and sugary packaged baked goods may be readily available inside office vending machines and at convenience stores, but such snacks don’t pack the nutritional punch of carrots.
Considered a superfood by many people, carrots are a simple snack that can be found at any grocery store and brought along to an office, regardless of whether that office is a traditional office, a work site or anywhere else people spend their workdays.
Vitamins and minerals
Carrots are a great source of various vitamins and minerals. According to the health and wellness information site Healthline, carrots are great sources of vitamin A, biotin, vitamin K1, potassium, and vitamin B6.
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into a vitamin A, a nutrient that promotes strong vision and plays a vital role in immune function.
Studies have shown that biotin plays an important role in the body’s ability to metabolize fat and protein.
Vitamin K1 plays a vital role in blood coagulation, which is the process of making blood clot. Coagulation enables the blood to plug and heal a wound.
Potassium can help people control their blood pressure, which can benefit their long-term health in various ways.
Finally, vitamin B6 plays a role in converting food into energy, making it an ideal afternoon snack for people who want to quell their hunger pangs and give themselves a needed energy boost.
Carrots and long-term health
Carrots also have been shown to have long-term health benefits. In 2016, the American Institute for Cancer Research added carrots to its list of “Foods that Fight Cancer.”
The links between carrots and reducing cancer risk are many and include carrots’ status as a low-calorie snack. Low-calorie snacks can help people reduce their risk of overweight and obesity, which the AICR notes are a cause of 11 cancers.
Studies, including one published in the European Journal of Nutrition, have linked carrots to lower cholesterol levels. That’s a considerable benefit, as high cholesterol is among the most significant risk factors for heart disease.
Carrots have long been touted as helping to improve vision, and that reputation is well-earned.
When the beta-carotene in carrots is converted into vitamin A, that vitamin A combines with a protein called opsin to form rhodopsin, which is needed for night and color vision.
When snack time beckons, carrots can help people reap immediate and long-term rewards.