This week in our Living Juice Ingredient Spotlight series, we're looking at the health benefits of carrots! Carrots are a core ingredient in our Carrot Kick - made with organic, cold-pressed carrots, oranges and yellow beets. The carrot is a root vegetable with texture and a sweet taste. It's most commonly orange in color, though purple, red, white and yellow varieties exist. Carrots are well known for being terribly good for you and we're here to talk about why!Â
First, carrots are a good source of vitamins A and C. This means carrots have excellent antioxidant value. Carrots are also high in carotenes. What is a carotene, you ask? Carotenes are fat soluble plant pigments ranging from red to violet in hue. As a rule of thumb, the more intensely colored the vegetable, the higher the carotene content.
Carrots are a good source of alpha and beta carotenes, but the high level of beta carotenes is what gives it its orange color. The body changes beta carotene into vitamin A, which is important for strengthening the immune system, keeping the skin, lungs and intestinal track in order, and promoting health cell growth. Beta carotene is an excellent antioxidant and scientific studies have found that high doses of beta carotene can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. The beta carotenes found in carrots also promote healthy eyes, providing protection against macular degeneration and inhibiting development of senile cataracts (the leading cause of blindness among the elderly).Â
If you can't wait to get your hands on some yummy beta carotene, grab a Living Juice Carrot Kick today! If you're looking for a healthy carrot recipe to try, look no further than Living Juice's maple roasted beets and carrots.Â
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