Carrot juice – What is it for, benefits and recipe

The carrot is a sweet vegetable whose edible part is the root. In the kitchen, you can get a lot of use out of this food, as it is used to prepare both sweet and savory meals. When it comes to nutrients, this vegetable provides potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, calcium and vitamins A, C, B6, E and K. In addition, carrots contain 88.7% water, 7.3 g of carbohydrates, 0.9 g of protein, 0.2 g of fat and only 40 Kcal per 100 grams of raw carrot (cooked has less).

For all of the above, carrot juice is not only a delicious refreshing drink, but also very healthy. In addition, it is considered a perfect complement to the daily diet and an effective home remedy for many conditions. So, if you are interested in knowing all the benefits of carrot juice, what it is for and how to prepare it, continue reading this article because we will tell you everything. By the way, we also tell you how to consume it and its contraindications.

Benefits of carrot juice

Although carrots have many properties, they stand out mainly for their abundant beta-  carotene content. This compound is called provitamin A, because the body can convert it into vitamin A. Beta-carotene is not the only substance with this attribution, there are many others that perform the same function.

However, according to a study, perhaps not everyone can benefit from beta-carotene in the same way. Scientists argue that converting this substance to vitamin A requires the intervention of an enzyme called beta-carotene oxygenate 1 (BCO1), and some people have it less active. That is, those individuals with this less active enzyme may need other sources of vitamin A in their daily diet. With that said, let’s take a look at the benefits of carrot juice:

• Improves brain activity. Potassium and phosphorus help regenerate nerves in general, which is why carrot juice can relieve mental fatigue and improve performance.
• Improves the skin. If you drink this juice regularly, your skin will look healthier, showing characteristics such as brightness, smoothness, flexibility and firmness.
• Increase defenses. Its antioxidants stimulate the immune system by protecting our body against the effects of free radicals, viruses and bacteria.
• Detoxifies the body. On the one hand, its important contribution of fiber helps to improve intestinal transit. On the other hand, its vitamin A content works as a diuretic. This set of attributes favors the health of the liver and kidneys. Discover more Juices to cleanse the kidneys in this other article.
• Strengthens bone health. This is possible thanks to its content of vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
• Prevents premature aging and delays the signs of aging. Thanks to the beta-carotene contained in the carrot, the skin remains firm and wrinkle-free, although, of course, other factors such as a proper hygiene routine, pollution, etc. also have an influence.
• Maintains eye health. Compounds such as beta-carotene and lutein favor the maintenance of visual health, especially at night. In addition, they prevent the appearance of cataracts.
• Protects the circulatory system. If you consume this juice almost regularly, your arteries will remain free of plaque, your blood flow will be normal and your heart will remain healthy, provided, of course, that you carry out generally healthy lifestyles.
• Take care of teeth and gums. The fluoride contained in the carrot prevents bacteria from adhering to the gums and teeth.

Benefits of fasting carrot juice

The benefits of carrot juice on an empty stomach are practically the same as those just mentioned. Due to its antioxidant power, drinking this juice first thing in the morning helps prepare the body to take on the day ahead and improves the condition of the skin.  Likewise, on an empty stomach, this juice favors weight loss and improves visual health, mainly.

What is carrot juice for?

Among the carotenoids responsible for provitamin an activity are beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, while the carotenoid called lutein lacks this activity. All these substances are the most abundant in carrots, which is why they are so important. Clarified this point, let’s see what carrot juice is for:

• Heal wounds. Its contribution of vitamin C favors the healing process, even in difficult wounds such as oral ones. In addition, consuming carrot juice favors the treatment of gingivitis, as it relieves bleeding gums.
• Reduce redness and fade scars. Vitamin A from beta-carotene has an anti-inflammatory effect. So if you want to complement any skin treatment, don’t just drink carrot juice, you can also prepare a part (without sugar) to apply directly to the skin with a cotton ball.
• Improve eyesight. Since one of the main benefits of carrot juice is to maintain eye health, it can help improve eyesight, especially at night.
• Help in the treatment of fractures and degenerative bone diseases. Carrot juice serves as a home remedy to complement the medical prescription for these cases due to its contributions in vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
• Contribute to the growth of children. It stimulates its bone development thanks to its previously mentioned benefits.
• Relieve and prevent respiratory diseases. If you go through a situation like this, you can complement the treatment prescribed by the doctor by incorporating this juice into your diet. Likewise, if you are healthy, eating it will help strengthen the immune system.
• Strengthen hair and nails. Do your nails break a lot and your hair looks dull? Perhaps it is because you have a vitamin A deficiency. So, go to your doctor and drink carrot juice, as it provides abundant beta-carotene, a compound that our body converts into in vitamin A.
• Help acquire a nice tan. It prepares the skin for sun exposure and subsequently prolongs the tan, but this does not mean that it actually tans you. In any case, before exposing yourself to the sun, use sunscreen/sunscreen to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays.
• Prevent and reduce acne. Thanks to its purifying action, it greatly improves the appearance and texture of the skin. Of course, depending on the type of acne, it is necessary to visit the dermatologist.
• Help digest food better and prevent flatulence. If you suffer from slow digestion, this juice can improve this discomfort thanks to its abundant fiber content.
• Stimulate the appetite. Carrots are often recommended in the diets of patients with certain eating disorders (for example, anorexia), as their aroma is considered to motivate them to eat.
• Fight and prevent constipation. Carrot provides a lot of fiber, which works as a natural laxative. Discover more laxative juices for constipation in this other article.
• Optimize the quality of breast milk. The carrot provides beta-carotene, a very important substance during the lactation period.
• Avoid fluid retention and help counteract it. The high water content of the carrot helps to drain liquids. Therefore, carrot juice is also very beneficial for weight loss.
• Facilitate weight loss. The water and fiber contained in carrots provide various benefits: satiety, reduction of blood sugar and purification of the body. In addition, this food is thermo genic, which means that it increases the body temperature when eating it and, therefore, a greater burning of calories takes place (accelerates the metabolism). As if that were not enough, this vegetable provides few calories and low fat content.
• Prevent kidney stones. Thanks to its diuretic properties, as we have mentioned, it helps keep the kidneys in good condition.
• Lower cholesterol. Vitamin A helps keep bad cholesterol at bay. In this other article you will find more natural juices to lower cholesterol.

Disadvantages of carrot juice

Although vegetables in general are considered healthy foods for the body, we must never forget that they also have their contraindications. For this reason, here are the disadvantages of carrot juice:

• Vitamin A overdose. Although there is always the possibility of such a picture, it is not very common. However, it can occur if you drink more than one glass of carrot juice per day and, additionally, take a multivitamin and/or eat foods rich in vitamin A. Some symptoms of this disorder are dizziness, irritability, nausea and/or vomiting, among others.
• Yellow-orange skin color or carotenemia. This condition arises from excessive consumption of vitamin A and other orange or yellow vegetables. Carotenemia is iniquitous, temporary and without consequences, you just need to reduce the intake of this vitamin.
• Increased diuresis. This is an increase in urine in a given time. A normal urinary flow comprises between 800 and 1500 ml per day, depending on the amount of liquids you absorb. So, if you must comply with a medical treatment that involves the use of diuretic medicine, limit the consumption of carrot juice.
• Cutaneous photosensitivity. If you have very sensitive skin, avoid too long exposure to the sun after drinking carrot juice. Otherwise, it may cause red skin or dermatitis.
• Carrot allergy. Although this type of allergy is very unusual, it presents the classic symptomatology of a food allergy and its severity will depend on the individual. In case you go through such an episode, go to the doctor.

Tip: Almost all of the above problems can be solved by lowering or eliminating the consumption of carrot juice for a period of time.

How to make carrot juice: easy recipe?

Preparing carrot juice does not have any complications, although we do recommend that you take into account the proper cleaning of the vegetable, since it comes from the ground and can bring bacteria with it. With that said, let’s look at the easy carrot juice recipe:

Ingredients

• 5 carrots
• 300 ml of water
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp. honey (optional)

Process

1. Wash the carrots. Remove any traces of dirt using a special brush or new toothbrush.  Then rinse them well under running water
2. Peel and chop them. Remove the first layer of carrot using a knife or potato peeler.
3. Pour a third of the amount of water into the blender. Add it progressively and, after each shake, check the density until the carrot juice is to your liking.
4. Add the lemon and honey. Process everything until you get a homogeneous texture.  Honey is optional and you could also make carrot and orange juice instead of lemon.
5. Strain the preparation. This part is your choice, but we prefer to leave it without straining, because that way you take better advantage of the fiber.

Tip: if you prepare this recipe to improve eyesight, add 2 oranges.

How to drink carrot juice?

If you want to get the most out of this drink, you need to know how to drink carrot juice depending on what your body needs. Therefore, here are some examples of how to do it and the most appropriate dose:

• To improve digestion and appetite: take it 3 times a day, just before each meal, for 1-2 months.
• To prepare the skin for tanning: drink it once a day, 30 minutes before eating breakfast, for 1 week or 15 days before exposing yourself to the sun.
• To help heal wounds: take it twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon.
• To lose weight: drink 2 glasses a day, one on an empty stomach and another a few minutes after lunch.
• To improve eyesight: take it on an empty stomach, just 30 minutes before eating, every day. After 3 months of consumption, rest for 1-2 months and restart the cycle. In this other article you will find more Foods to improve eyesight.

If you want to drink carrot juice to lose weight, you should know that you can combine this food with other foods, such as fruits or vegetables.