Carrots

Carrots Health benefits & Nutritional facts

Carrots nutrition facts

Naturally sweet, delicious and crunchy, carrots are healthy additions you can make to the vegetable list in your diet. Indeed, these root vegetables come with wholesome health benefiting compounds such as beta-carotenes, vitamin A, minerals and anti-oxidants in ample amounts.

Botanically these taproots belong to theApiaceaeor umbelliferous family of the genus; Daucusand known scientifically asDaucus carota. The other close Apiaceae members include parsnips , parsley , dill , cumin, etc.

Carrot plant is cultivated across the world for its prized taproot. The plant is biennial and bears flowers during second year of life. However, in general, the whole plant is harvested prematurely when the root reaches about an inch in diameter, tender and juicy.

Carrots vary widely in color and shape depending on the cultivar types. Generally, oriental taproots are long, flat upper ends with tapering, tail like, lower ends. They are winter season crops in many parts of Asia. European carrots, on the other hand, have more rounded ends with almost cylindrical body. In addition, European-variety feature bright orange color in contrast to saffron colored Asian cultivars.

Health benefits of carrots

Sweet and succulent carrots are notably rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber; however, they provide only 41 calories per 100 g, negligible amount of fat and no cholesterol.
They are exceptionally rich source ofcarotenes and vitamin-A. 100 g fresh carrot contains 8285 µg ofbeta-caroteneand 16706 IU of vitamin A. Studies have found that flavonoid compounds in carrots help protect from skin, lung and oral cavity cancers.
Carotenes are converted into vitamin A in the liver. Beta-carotene is the major carotene that is present in these roots. Beta carotene is one of the powerful natural anti-oxidant helps protect body from harmful oxygen-free radical injury. In addition, it also has all the functions of vitamin A such as vision, reproduction (sperm production), maintenance of epithelial integrity, growth and development.
Carrots are rich inpoly-acetylene antioxidant falcarinol. Research study conducted by scientists at University of Newcastle on laboratory animals has found thatfalcarinolin carrots may help fight against cancers by destroying pre-cancerous cells in the tumors.
Fresh roots are also good in vitamin C; provide about 9% of RDA. Vitamin C is water soluble anti-oxidant. It helps the body maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth and gum. Its anti-oxidant property helps the body protect from diseases and cancers by scavenging harmful free radicals.
In addition, this root vegetable is especially rich in many B-complex groups of vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc., that acts as co-factors to enzymes during substrate metabolism in the body.
Further, They also compose healthy levels of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme,superoxide dismutase.

See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients: Carrots (Daucus carota), Fresh, raw, Nutrition value per 100 g. Total-ORAC value 666 umol TE/100 g. (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	41 Kcal	2%
Carbohydrates	9.58 g	7%
Protein	0.93 g	1.5%
Total Fat	0.24 g	1%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	2.8 g	7%
Vitamins
Folates	19 µg	5%
Niacin	0.983 mg	6%
Pantothenic acid	0.273 mg	5.5%
Pyridoxine	0.138 mg	10%
Riboflavin	0.058 mg	4%
Thiamin	0.066 mg	6%
Vitamin A	16706 IU	557%
Vitamin C	5.9 mg	10%
Vitamin K	13.2 µg	11%
Electrolytes
Sodium	69 mg	4.5%
Potassium	320 mg	6.5%
Minerals
Calcium	33 mg	3%
Copper	0.045 mg	5%
Iron	0.30 mg	4%
Magnesium	12 mg	3%
Manganese	0.143 mg	6%
Phosphorus	35 mg	5%
Selenium	0.1 µg	<1%
Zinc	0.24 mg	2%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-α	3427 µg	--
Carotene-ß	8285 µg	--
Crypto-xanthin-ß	0 µg	--
Lutein-zeaxanthin	256 µg	--

Carrots Health benefits & Nutritional facts

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