9 Unknown Health Benefits of Baby Carrots
We know you’re here to find out the health benefits of baby carrots but first let’s look at where the humble carrot comes from.
Carrots (Daucus carota) are a rich food source first cultivated over five thousand years ago in Ancient Afghanistan.
The original varieties that grew way back then differ a great deal from the carrots we have today.
They varied greatly and some were even sharp, yellow, or dark purple.
The taste of the originally cultivated root was also different from today’s varieties with white root variants being described as unpalatable in the 18th century.
Orange carrots are popular today and have a universally crunchy and sweet flavor.
What are Baby carrots?
Baby carrots first originated in the 1980s from the productive use of discarded carrots after harvest.
These carrots are small in size and are much easier to consume than regular carrots, which are large in size and have to be peeled and cut.
After their introduction in the agricultural sector, farmers changed their way of growing them.
Instead of growing them by accident, hybrid seeds were used to grow tiny and sweet mini-sized carrots specifically.
You can differentiate between regular and baby carrots just by noticing the core.
Regular carrots have a large core, while baby carrots possess tiny, thin cores.
Why are baby carrots good for you?
Baby carrots are a good addition to your lunch boxed or salad plates as they serve the same nutritional value offered by regular orange roots.
Although after hearing the name, Baby carrots you may think these are mini or immature versions of regular carrots this is not true.
Baby carrots are not just a miniature version of regular carrots, they're packed with bitesize goodness.
Baby carrots are an excellent source of beta carotene, vitamin K1, antioxidants, and potassium.
Baby carrots are also now widely available from health and grocery stores.
Nutritional content of baby carrots
Carrots contain all essential nutrients, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Being a root vegetable, carrots also contain enough water to maintain adequate hydration.
A NLEA serving of baby carrots provides enough nutritional value keep you energized thoughout the day.
A single serving of baby carrots offers 7 grams of carbohydrates with 2.5 grams of fiber and 4.1 grams of natural sugars.
Baby carrots lack starch which makes them a low-glycemic food.
Low glycemic food is beneficial, particularly for patients with diabetes.
Low fat in baby carrots makes them a good addition to people conscious about diet.
A Harvard University study showed that carrots contain a rich content of vitamin A, beta carotene, and vitamin K.
You can also get the benefits of small amounts of potassium, folate, iron, and magnesium by consuming a single serving of baby carrots.
There are just 30 calories per serving of baby carrots which makes them the perfect lunchtime snack.
9 Health benefits of baby carrots
After seeing the nutritional facts, you can see that just like regular carrots, baby carrots can offer the same benefits.
Research has shown that in certain cases, baby carrots are actually more beneficial for you than regular orange carrots.
This may be due to them containing lower calories, lower fats, and ranking lower on the glycemic food index.
Now let’s take a look at how baby carrots support your health.
1. Enhanced eye health
Carrots contain an antioxidant pigment called lutein, which helps improve eye health.
The presence of antioxidants in carrots helps prevent macular degeneration, a common disorder that causes blurred or reduced central vision due to thinning of the macula.
Eating carrots regularly helps to avoid this common eye disorder.
Baby carrots can also help you see in dark and dim environments.
This is due to a protein called Rhodopsin that prevents night blindness
Vitamin A also helps maintain good vision by maintaining a clear cornea.
Along with vitamin A, carrots also have beta-carotene that is converted to vitamin A after consumption.
This is the reason people say that carrots make you see in the dark!
2. Benefits to dental health
Eating carrots is good for your oral health as it makes gums and teeth healthy and stronger.
The chewing of thick textured carrots helps remove unwanted plaque and tarter may stick to your teeth between meals.
Recent studies have shown that the presence of a high amount of beta-carotene in carrots is the leading cause of improved dental health.
People consuming a good amount of carrots, squash, and leafy greens enjoy good dental health.
The low sugar content in carrots also proves beneficial in preventing tooth decay.
- Other natural products such as spearmint tea are also great for oral health.
3. It keeps cancer at a bay
Diets rich in carotenoids can help reduce the risk of certain cancers, like stomach, lungs, colon, etc.
Research shows that women consuming sufficient amounts of carotenoids have a lesser risk of breast cancer.
Different types of carrots come in different colors; each holds a particular type of antioxidant.
Baby carrots are usually orange, due to the beta carotene content in them.
It is this that prevents the risk of several cancer types.
Studies have shown that individuals who consume significant quantities of baby carrots daily have a reduced risk of prostate and gastric cancer.
- Can CBD cure cancer? Find out in this article from bud Behavior.
4. Reduces the risk of heart disease
Baby carrots contain different phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that prevent the risk of heart disease.
Oxidative stress, an imbalance between the production of free radicals and antioxidant defenses is reduced by the daily intake of tiny orange-colored roots.
The polyphenols in carrots stimulate bile secretion, resulting in lowering high cholesterol in the blood.
Baby carrots are high-fiber foods that further help decrease cholesterol levels, making blood vessels dilate and maintaining healthy blood pressure.
5. Better Skin health
Baby carrots have many benefits to your skin as well as your blood.
They contain a bundle of healthy vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that positively impact the overall health of your skin.
Carrots are great for treating skin ailments such as acne, dermatitis, allergic reactions, or pimples.
Consuming carrots can also give added protection against harmful UV rays from the sun.
Thus reducing the chance of sunburn by increasing the production of melanocytes.
The increased production of melanocytes will safeguard you against skin cancer too.
6. Diabetes control
Baby carrots have a low quantity of carbohydrates in relation to regular carrots.
A lower amount of natural sugar with no starch makes baby carrots beneficial for diabetic patients.
100 grams of baby carrot contains only 35 calories with high fiber content, making it a completely safe foodstuff for diabetic patients.
Eating boiled carrots is beneficial for diabetic patients as they have a low GI index.
The carrots are rich in fiber to help maintain blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
7. Stronger immune system and wound healing
Vitamin C is a well known antioxidant that is essential to make collagen and support the immune system’s function.
Collagen is a crucial component of connective tissue that helps in wound healing and keeps the body healthy.
Carrots hold milligrams of vitamin C that boost the immune system and trigger quick wound healing.
- Chakra crystals are also great for natural healing.
8. Increases Bone health
Baby carrots are one of a range of vegetables that help to improve bone health.
Research at Texas A&M AgriLife’s Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center studied the effects of carrot consumption on bone health.
It was found that people who ate carrots had significantly increased calcium absorption.
Carrots are a good vegetable source for improving bone health and preventing the risk of diseases like osteoporosis.
9. Helps in lowering of blood pressure
Potassium and fiber in carrots will work together to reduce high blood pressure.
A diet rich in potassium helps relax the blood vessels and regulate the proper blood flow.
Moreover, being high-fiber foods, carrots help lower blood cholesterol, thus preventing several cardiovascular diseases.
It was observed that people who consume a high amount of fiber in their diet tend to have a healthier heart than those who eat lower quantities of it.
Health benefits of baby carrots - The bottom line
Although small in size, baby carrots prove themselves an excellent addition to your diet.
A bite size core, packing a number of rich nutrients with low calories and sweeter in taste, makes baby carrots loved by all.
Not only that, either raw or merged in some recipe, these mini vegetables will never disappoint you in terms of benefits and taste.
The Best Herbal Tea for Headaches
6 Most Effective Teas For Headaches Headaches are a common ailment that many of us experience occasionally. They can range from migraine headaches to severe
10 Best Herbal Teas For Kidney Stones
What’s the best herbal tea for kidney stones? Kidney stones are becoming increasingly common in both men and women. It is estimated that at least
The Best Herbal Tea for Men: 10 Best Herbal Teas for Men On the Go
10 Best Herbal Teas For Men On The Go We’ve got you covered if you’re looking for the best herbal tea for men. Tea is
The Best Herbal Tea for Mucus Relief
10 Best Tea for Mucus Remedies Factors such as allergies, spicy foods, smoking, and exposure to cold weather outdoors can trigger your body to produce
Best Herbal Tea For Fertility: 15 Best Teas To Help Pregnancy
15 Best Teas to boost the chance of pregnancy Fertility problems are quite common. According to a recent study, approximately 9% of men and 11% of
Tea for Beginners: 10 Best Tasting Teas
Add Your Heading Text Here If you are a tea beginner looking for the best beverage to start your tea journey, you’ve come to the
The Best Herbal Tea For Hemorrhoids Relief ‘2023’
10 best Herbal teas for hemorrhoids Read on to learn about the best tea for hemorrhoids relief. One in three Americans experiences hermorrhoids at some
The Best Herbal Tea for Hormonal Imbalance
10 Best Herbal Teas for Hormonal Imbalance Are you looking for the best ehrbal tea for hormonal imbalance? Hormones are vital chemical messengers that coordinate
What is The Best Herbal Tea For A Cough?
10 Best Herbal Teas For A Cough A cough is one of the most common symptoms of the common cold and the seasonal flu. Unbeknown
Can You Drink Tea For Fasting?
Powerful benefits of drinking tea for fasting Drinking tea for fasting can be a great way of accelerating the benefits. Intermittent fasting has various benefits,
What Is the Best Herbal Tea for Focus and Memory? (2023)
11 Best Teas For Focus and Memory Are you looking for the best tea for focus? When it comes to mental health, there are a
What Is the Best Herbal Tea for Circulation?
9 Best Herbal Teas For Circulation Proper circulation is the foundation of overall health and general well-being. It ensures that blood and oxygen continuously flow
What Is the Best Tea for Endometriosis? (2023)
Best Teas for Endometriosis Endometriosis is a painful condition that occurs when tissues found on the lining of your uterus grow outside the uterus. This
What’s The Best Tea for Energy? Top 10 Teas for Boosting Energy
10 Herbal Teas for Energy Tony Robbins couldn’t have been more right when he said, “where focus goes, energy flows. And where energy flows, whatever
What’s The Best Tea for Period Pain and Menstrual Cramps?
9 Best Herbal Teas for Period Pain Also called dysmenorrhea, period pain is a painful sensation often felt in the lower abdomen and can spread
