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Carrot
natural sugar which are easily assimilated. Fresh carrot juice has a glycemic index count of 80 which is at an acceptable borderline. However, its consumption is encouraged for its rich nourishment and carotenoid content which actually helps balance blood sugar.
Depending on its variety, carrots can be as short as two inches or as long as three feet, with a diameter of between half an inch to over two inches.
When we speak of carrots, we often think "orange", but they also come in a variety of other colors like white, yellow, purple and red.
It is rich with biotin, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, organic sodium and some trace minerals.
The known phytonutrients in carrots are lutein, lycopene, anti-oxidants alpha, beta and gamma carotenes, zeaxanthin and xanthophyll. You don't need to remember these fancy names, but just remember that phytonutrients are nature's marvelous provision for healing of various diseases.
Health Benefits Carotenes, the famous ingredient in carrots, is an anti-oxidant that has powerful healing virtues for many diseases. Drinking a glass of carrot juice daily will do much more for you than many bottles of supplement tablets. Here are some disorders that can be helped by drinking carrot juice regularly: Acidosis: The vital organic alkaline elements in carrots help balance the blood acidity and blood sugar. Acne: Its powerful cleansing properties are effective in detoxifying the liver, thus overall effective for acne which are caused by toxicity of the blood. Anemia: Carrot's molecules are closest to human's hemoglobin molecules, making it very beneficial in blood-building. Atherosclerosis: The highly cleansing power of this miracle juice scrubs away even the old build-up of arterial deposits, reducing the risks of heart diseases and stroke. Asthma: The anti-oxidants effectively protects the respiratory system from infections and free-radical attacks. Cancer: Studies show that adding one carrot per day in our diet significantly reduces cancer risks. Cholesterol: Pectin in carrots lowers the serum cholesterol levels. Congestion: Carrot juice is very effective in dispelling mucus from the ear, nose and throat area, easing nasal congestion, sinusitis, phlegm and mucus in the throat and other similar disorders. Constipation: Take five parts of carrot juice with one part of spinach juice regularly to regulate chronic constipation problems. Emphysema: If you smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke, taking carrot juice regularly may well save your life. Eyes: Beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are some of the finest nourishment that help keep the optic system in tip-top condition, with special protection against astigmatism, macular degeneration and cataracts. Fertility: One of the reasons for infertility is lack of nutrients and enzymes in your dietary. Carrot juice taken regularly, is able to nourish your body back to fertility. Inflammations: Its anti-inflammatory effect greatly helps reduce arthritis, rheumatism, gout and other inflammations. Immune systems: It does wonders for boosting the immune system by increasing the production and performance of white blood cells; building resistant to various kinds of infections. Nursing mothers: Carrot juice helps enhance the quality and quantity of a mother's breast milk. Pregnancy: Drinking carrot juice regularly during pregnancy, especially during the last few months, will reduce the chances of jaundice in baby. No, you won't get an orange baby! Skin problems: The high quality vitamin C and other rich nutrients in carrot juice efficiently nourish the skin, preventing dry skin, psoriasis and other skin blemishes. Thread worms: One small cup of carrot juice in the morning taken daily for a week can help clear up thread worms in children. Ulcers: The abundance of nutrient present in carrots help nourish cells that have been starved of nutrients which result in ulcers. Water retention: Carrot juice is diuretic and helps to eliminate excess fluids from the body, reducing water retention, especially for women during their monthly menstruation cycle and in pregnant women.
Consumption Tips Carrots that are no longer than 6 inches tend to be sweeter. So choose the shorter variety if you like it sweet or the longer one if you prefer it less sweet. The most nutrients are concentrated on the skin so try not to peel off the skin. Use a hard brush to brush the skin or just simply scrape it with the sides of a metal spoon handle. Cut them lengthwise to preserve the nutrients as when cut in small rounds, they easily lose their nutrients in water when you wash or cook them.
Caution You may have heard of people "turning orange" from drinking carrot juice. It is not the carrot juice that is showing through the skin but is an overflow of materials which have been clogging the liver and are being eliminated with the consumption of carrot juice. This shows how effective carrot juice is at cleansing¾a good sign that the system is getting a good clean-up. As wonderful as carrot is, always remember moderation. Excessive intake of carotenoids (one pound of carrots every day for years) can lower the white blood cells count and other menstrual disorders in women. Of course, no one would take so much carrots every day for years but this is an indication of how much you will have to take carrots before it becomes harmful.
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