Carrots are one of the vegetables that are familiar, quite popular and can be used for various dishes. Starting from drinks, cakes, salads, stir-fries, and many more.
Carrots are biennial plants in the umbellifer family. They initially grow a rosette of leaves while developing an enlarged taproot. After sowing the seeds, fast cultivars will grow within 3 months, while slow cultivars will take a month longer.
If you plant tomatoes in your garden and you plant carrots, the carrots can help increase tomato production and the carrots will give off an herbal scent that attracts predatory wasps to come and kill pests in your garden.
The content of carrots is also very beneficial for the body, because carrots contain vitamin A which is good for eye health, especially to improve long-distance vision. In addition to vitamin A, carrots also contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, E and C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.
Benefits of Carrots for Health
1. Maintaining Eye Health
The vitamin content in carrots, especially vitamin A, lutein, and zeaxanthin, has antioxidant properties that can minimize the risk of various eye diseases, such as night blindness, astigmatism (cylindrical eyes), cataracts, and macular degeneration.
2. Maintaining Body Resistance
The content of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants in carrots are known to help increase the body’s resistance. As a result, by consuming carrots regularly, the body will become stronger in fighting various viruses, bacteria, and other disease-causing germs.
3. Controlling Blood Sugar Levels
Carrots are one type of vegetable that has a low glycemic index value. This means that consuming carrots does not trigger a drastic spike in glucose or blood sugar levels in the body so that it is safe for consumption by healthy people and diabetics.
4. Reduce the risk of Heart Disease
Carrots contain a lot of antioxidants and potassium in them. Both of these contents are useful for maintaining optimal heart health. When heart health is maintained, of course you will be protected from various health problems that trigger heart disease.
5. Maintain a Healthy Digestive System
Carrots can help smooth the digestive process. This is because carrots contain high fiber and water so that they can make stools softer and denser, smooth the bowel movement process, and prevent the risk of constipation. Carrots are also rich in prebiotics that can maintain the balance of good microflora in the intestines.
6. Minimize the Risk of Obesity
Carrots can help control weight and minimize the risk of obesity. Because carrots are rich in fiber and water that can provide a longer satiety effect so that they can control appetite while reducing overall calorie intake.
7. Optimizing Brain Function
Free radicals are molecules that contain electrons that are highly reactive and therefore risk causing cell damage and triggering inflammation in the body, including in the brain. The antioxidant content in carrots is known to be able to fight the effects of free radicals, thus preventing damage to cells in the brain.
8. Maintaining Heart Health
Carrots are rich in potassium, antioxidants, and fiber, regular consumption of carrots is believed to help control cholesterol levels in the blood. For information, high cholesterol is one of the factors that can increase the risk of blockage of the arteries. This blockage can trigger serious health complications, one of which is heart disease.
9. Maintaining Bone Strength
Carrots can help maintain bone strength. Because carrots are enriched with calcium and vitamin K which can optimize the process of bone formation and hardening.
10. Maintaining Healthy Skin and Hair
The content of vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants in carrots play an important role in maintaining healthy skin and hair by optimizing the process of collagen formation in the skin while strengthening hair roots.