Hey guys! So today, we will be talking about carrots.
Carrot is one of the most common root vegetables we have. It is often claimed to be the perfect health food and this is no surprise cause of the Nutritional benefits it possesses. It is crunchy, tasty and particularly a good source of beta carotene, fibre, vitamin K1, potassium and antioxidants.
Beta Carotene- The human body converts beta carotene into Vitamin A(retinol) and we need Vitamin A for healthy skin and mucus membranes, our immune system and good eye health and vision. It also helps to keep the lungs healthy as people age.
Fibre- Pectin is the main form of soluble fibre in carrots. Fibre helps to normalize bowel movements, helps maintain bowel health, helps control blood sugar levels, helps lowers cholesterol levels, helps in achieving a healthy weight. The fibre in general helps to aid digestion.
Vitamin K1- Also known as Phylloquinone, Vitamin K1 is important for blood coagulation and can promote bone health.
Potassium- Potassium is one of the most important minerals in the body. It helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contraction and nerve signals. It is important for blood pressure control.
Antioxidants- These are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures. That is, Carotene antioxidants have been linked to help reduce the risk of cancer.
Carrots water content ranges from 86-95% and the edible portion consists of around 10% carbs. Carrots also contain very little fat and protein.
The nutritional facts for two small-to-medium raw carrots (100 grams) are:
- Calories: 41
- Water: 88%
- Protein: 0.9 grams
- Carbs: 9.6 grams
- Sugar: 4.7 grams
- Fibre: 2.8 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
Carrots are mainly composed of water and carbs. The carbs consist of starch and sugars such as sucrose and glucose. Carrots often rank low on the glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how quickly foods raise sugar after a meal. The (GI) ranges from 16-60 lowest for raw carrots, a little higher in cooked ones and highest for puree. According to nutritionist and dieticians, you shouldn’t scratch the back of your carrot with a knife as it is popularly done in most Nigerian homes so as not to lose some of this nutrients from the carrot, just scrub with a brush or sponge or simply just rinse properly with water.
I hope you have been enlightened about the nutritional benefits of carrots and I hope from now on, you start taking your carrots and other vegetables seriously.
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