Along with being good for the eyes, carrots have really got it going on! This post shares 9 surprising benefits of carrots that can help you stay healthy, fit, and fabulous. Plus the best ways to enjoy them.
Growing up, I always wanted to eat carrots like Bugs Bunny. Which is to say…I ate a lot of carrots! Which turned out to be a good thing, as they are very healthy (in some ways you might not expect).
Perhaps that was a goal of the cartoon animator? Get more kids to eat healthily? Genius.
Eventually, I got tired of eating raw carrots and found some amazing ways to cook them in adulthood. That’s why this post is dedicated to highlighting the many benefits of carrots and the best ways to cook them (so you actually enjoy them!).
Ready to learn more about carrots? Keep reading!
What Are The Benefits Of Eating Carrots Every Day?
Eating carrots on a daily basis has loads of health benefits. I’ll be diving deeper into the specific benefits below. But for now, here are some spark notes on why carrots are great:
- Lots of fiber
- Low in calories
- Full of antioxidants – Antioxidants help your body fight radicals and toxins. This helps with aging.
- Rich in vitamins and nutrients
With their low calorie count and nutritionally dense attributes, carrots are popular with those looking to lose weight. Wanna know more great foods for weight loss? Read this: Best Foods For Weight Loss
Is It Good To Eat Raw Carrots?
Yes, it’s good and beneficial to your body to eat raw carrots. But here’s a tip! To absorb more of the nutrients, eat carrots with a healthy fat. Carotenoids (specifically Vitamin A) can be absorbed better in the presence of fats.
Here are some examples of fats you can eat carrots with:
- Olive oil
- Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, etc.)
- Avocado – Check out these 16 Avocado recipes!
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Greek yogurt
Are Carrots Better Raw Or Cooked?
While it’s great to eat raw carrots if that’s your thing, boiling or steaming them can encourage more nutritional benefits. The cooking process actually helps release more beta-carotene (a great antioxidant). Once in your body, this converts to the lovely Vitamin A.
Ready to eat some cooked carrots right away? Try my Maple Glazed Carrots With Fresh Ginger.
Do Carrots Really Improve Eyesight?
It’s not just a myth, carrots are great for the eyes! We mentioned earlier that carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which the body can convert to Vitamin A.
Vitamin A, as your grandparents may have told you, helps support better eyesight. It lowers the risk of macular degeneration, eye infections, vision loss, and night blindness.
And you know it’s not just carrots, right? Any food high in beta-carotene (leafy greens, sweet potatoes, broccoli) is good for the eyes. Speaking of, have you tried my Easy Sweet Potato Meal Prep yet?
Is Carrot Juice Healthy?
Carrot juice is super healthy! It’s jam-packed with vitamins and antioxidants! It’s also low in calories and carbs but high in fiber which makes it very popular as a juice.
One cup of carrot juice (240 mL) has:
- Calories: 96
- Protein: 2 grams
- Fat: less than 1 gram
- Carbs: 22 grams
- Sugars: 9 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Vitamin A (as provitamin A): 255% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Potassium: 15% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 23% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 31% of the DV
Do Carrots Help You Lose Belly Fat?
Yes, carrots help support weight loss and may help aid you in losing belly fat. What’s more, carrots are beneficial for the liver which is involved in every metabolic process of the body!
From getting rid of toxins and breaking down fats, to creating energy and storing sugar as triglycerides, the health of your liver is super important. When your liver is unhealthy, your body could store more (visceral) fat which is usually found in the belly area.
Carrots are also very low in calories but packed with benefits making them a nutritionally dense food. Replacing our usual high-sodium, high-calorie chips with snacks such as carrot fries or sticks can help reduce your caloric intake while keeping you full. A win-win if you ask me!
What Are The Best Benefits Of Carrots?
Now you have an idea of just how awesome carrots are for a healthy diet. Let’s dive in deeper to see exactly why carrots are great for you…
1. Carrots May Boost Immunity
Because carrots are rich in vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants, they’re great for boosting your immunity! Regularly consuming carrots will help your body protect itself from bacteria and viruses. A timely benefit indeed…
2. Carrots Support Hair Health
Not only do carrots keep you feeling young but looking young with voluminous hair! The vitamins and nutrients in carrots help keep your hair shiny, thick, and strong.
3. Carrots Support Skin Health
Beauty benefits? Make it a double! The beta-carotene in carrots (what gives carrots their orange color) helps repair the skin and protects it from radiation. Vitamin A also helps promote firm and elastic skin which is great for preventing wrinkles!
Just make sure not to consume too many carrots as they can cause your skin to temporarily turn orangey in color. Again, consume everything (even healthy food) in moderation.
4. Carrots May Help Prevent Cancer
Antioxidant-rich foods are great for helping your body prevent or delay the progression of several types of cancers. Regularly consuming carotenoids (antioxidants in carrots) can be especially helpful in preventing stomach, colon, and prostate cancers.
There is also evidence that a high level of carotenoids may help reduce the risk of breast cancer in women.
5. Carrots May Support Heart Health
Cardiovascular diseases can stem from having high blood cholesterol. Studies show that carrots are linked to lowering cholesterol levels which is great for heart health.
6. Carrots Support Eye Health
As we discussed above, Vitamin A and the carotenoids in carrots help keep your eyes healthy by protecting them from age-related macular degeneration, eye inflammation, and night blindness. Eye see!
7. Carrots Support Teeth Health
Known as a cavity-fighting veggie, carrots may help protect your smile. I’m serious! Chewing raw carrots can even act as a natural toothbrush. This is because they are rich in keratin and Vitamin A (which are helpful in the fight against plaque and weakening enamel).
8. Carrots May Help Boost Digestive Health
A high-fiber and high-carotenoid diet is very helpful to your digestive and gut health. So much so that it can also lower your risk of colon cancer. A healthy gut is a great thing to have! It boosts your overall health, immunity, and metabolism.
Working on improving your microbiome? Discover The 8 Best Fermented Foods
9. Carrots May Help Lower Blood Pressure
The high fiber content in carrots helps reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Meanwhile, potassium helps your body’s blood vessels relax (which reduces the risk of high blood pressure).
More Delicious Recipes With Carrots
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to eat a bunch of carrots! Here are some of my favorite ways to prepare them. I hope you enjoy them, too!
- Baked Carrot Fries With Homemade Ketchup | No Sugar!
- Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes | With Sweet Greek Yogurt Frosting
- Healthy Carrot Cake
- Thyme Roasted Carrots
- Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
