The POWER of Carrots!

[donnay]

The POWER of Carrots!

by Russell Scott



Would you like improved vision, cancer prevention, anti-aging, healthy glowing skin, a powerful antiseptic, the prevention of heart disease, a cleanse for the Body, healthy teeth and gums and the prevention of strokes?

Well the magical elixir is here and it's found in the POWER of carrots!

If possible try to buy them at your local farmer's market or optimally pick them right from your own garden.


If you do purchase organic carrots they may have different colors in a single bunch; purple, white, the familiar orange, red and even black. Back in 17th century Holland orange carrots won out in the breeding of carrots, but carrots before then came in a wide range of colors, these are now known as heirloom carrots.

Purple Carrots

Purple carrots aren't simply a novelty. Their unique color reflects their healthy phytochemical constituents. Not only do they have the vitamin A and beta-carotene of ordinary carrots—evident in its orange center—it's also rich in anthocyanins, the antioxidant compounds that give blueberries their distinctive color and superfood health benefits. Studies have found that these blue and purple pigments can improve memory, enhance vision, protect against heart attacks, act as anti-inflammatories, and even help control weight.[1]

White Carrots

White carrots lack pigment, but may contain other health-promoting substances called phytochemicals, natural bioactive compounds found in plant foods that work with nutrients and dietary fibre to protect against disease. One might say these are the least healthy of carrots. They originate from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.

Orange Carrots

Orange Carrots contain beta carotene, with some alpha-carotene, both of which are orange pigments. High in Vitamin A essential for well-being, healthy eyes. These carrots originate from Europe and the Middle East.

Red Carrots

Red carrots are tinted by lycopene, (another form of carotene) a pigment also found in tomatoes and watermelon; lycopene is associated with the reduced risk of macular degeneration, serum lipid oxidation, helps prevent heart disease and a wide variety of cancers including prostate cancer. Originally from India and China.

Black Carrots

Black Carrots contain anthocyanins, part of the flavonoid family with antioxidant properties. Flavonoids are currently under investigation as anticancer compounds, as free radical scavengers in living systems, as well as inhibitors of LDL (the bad) cholesterol and the black carrot anthocyanins are especially active.

It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungicidal properties and oil made from its seed can help control scalp itchiness and provides essential nutrients for hair growth. The ancient black carrot has been making a comeback, not so much for culinary purposes but as a source of natural food colorants. These originate from Turkey, and the Middle and the Far East.[2]

The best part about carrots is the taste. Unlike Kale, cabbage or its close relative the parsnip; carrots actually taste good and kids will eat them. Surprisingly, carrots were originally grown for their medicinal properties and not as a food source.

Archaeobotanists found after analyzing plant DNA in Greek-made pills from a 130 BC shipwreck that the pills contained.... carrots!

Mithridates VI, King of Pontius was in constant fear of poisoning. The king is said to have taken a potion daily to render his body safe against danger from poison, this contained the seeds of the Cretan carrot.[3]

As Hippocrates said “let food be thy medicine” and carrots are a good start. But how best to eat them?

Whole and raw is undoubtedly the best as that is how nature made them, however juicing is a close second... and who can eat 10 carrots whole? Remember, the nutritional content of our soil has depleted greatly from centuries of farming and cultivation. 300 years ago a single carrot was far more nutritious than it is today, but our bodies are the same. This problem can be solved with juicing.

If you are to cook them, steaming and boiling are best and they are best left whole, cut them up after you cook them, not before. Scientists found that carrots boiled before they were cut contained 25 per cent more falcarinol than those that were chopped up first. Leaving the vegetable intact prevents valuable nutrients from being easily washed away into the water.[4]

So hop on down to your closest and healthiest distributer of carrots and discover the POWER of carrots for you and your family.


Sources
[1] http://www.organicgardening.com/lear...w/color-purple
[2] http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/nutrition.html
[3] http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/history1.html
[4] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...#ixzz2fuwNItrv

http://www.westcoasttruth.com/the-power-of-carrots.html

[Carlybee]

Making some carrot juice tonight (with spinach, apples, grapes, and oranges)

[donnay]

Very informative--very inexpensive. This guy is great! Yum! I drink Carrot juice every morning.

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Part 2



Part 3

[heavenlyboy34]

Carrot fries are tasty. ~nom nom~

[Carlybee]

I made some butternut squash, sweet potato and carrot soup today.

[donnay]

I made some butternut squash, sweet potato and carrot soup today.

Yum!

[oyarde]

I like carrots , especially if you add in enough pot roast , potatoes & onions

[Kelly.]

carrot + apple juice FTW!

did you know carrots were originally purple. it wasnt until some dutch fellow developed the orange carrot (orange is the dutchs color) for the crown that the orange carrot took off.

[V3n]