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You don't need a carrot to eat carrots
because it is common knowledge that carrots are good for the eyes.
However the healing potential of carrots is not just confined to their
ability to help our vision. Carrots contain various compounds that may
help to prevent certain types of cancer, lower cholesterol and prevent
heart attacks.
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, an
antioxidant compound that fights free radicals which gives rise to
conditions such as heart disease, cancer and macular degeneration, the
leading cause of vision loss in the elderly.
Large population studies seem to
indicate that the more antioxidants they get in their diet, the less
likely they are to die of cancer. In addition, there is evidence that
eating large amounts of carrots, fruits and vegetables rich in
beta-carotene may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Beta-carotene is not the only compound
in carrots that protects. They contain another antioxidant,
alpha-carotene, that also appears to protect against cancer.
Researches have found that lung cancer occurred more often in men with
low intakes of alpha-carotene than in men with higher intakes.
To get the most benefit from eating
carrots, give them a little cooking instead of eating them raw because
carrots contain a lot of fiber which traps the beta-carotene. Cooking
helps to free it from the fiber cells and so make it easier for the
body to absorb. |