Recently, people are becoming more attentive to their diet. They try to replace fatty and fried foods with fresh vegetables. Raw food has become a kind of religion. Everyone knows about the benefits of raw carrots, but what about boiled?
Useful properties of carrots
Carrot is a very useful vegetable as it is stored for a long time and can make up for the lack of nutrients in the winter. However, it is worth remembering that the greatest number of useful elements can be obtained by eating young carrots. When stored, it loses some of the vitamins.
Useful vitamins and elements in carrots:
● Vitamin A. It is responsible for growth, so it is very useful for children and expectant mothers. Improves vision, and treats eye diseases. It softens and nourishes the skin. Stimulates hair and nail growth and improves their condition. And also protects the body from infections;
● Vitamin B. Needed for the full functioning of the nervous system. Relieves fatigue, headaches and insomnia. Cleans blood vessels from cholesterol, preventing the development of blood clots;
● Vitamin C - responsible for strong immunity, helps in the fight against germs and infections;
● Vitamin E - a strong antioxidant, removes toxins from the body;
● macro and microelements (calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, iodine, zinc, etc.). For example, a high potassium content in a vegetable has a choleretic effect.
Carrot is a champion in the content of vitamin A, due to which it has a characteristic orange color. There is an opinion that a lot of useful substances are in the peel, therefore it is recommended not to peel the carrots, but simply rinse them with high quality.
Fresh vegetables, due to the large amount of water, stimulate intestinal motility, which contributes to the absence of constipation and the treatment of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
To get the most benefit from carrots, it is recommended to gnaw a vegetable, since when cutting or rubbing on a grater, many useful substances evaporate.
The benefits of boiled carrots
Not everyone can afford to nibble fresh carrots. For such people, there is only one way out - to cook. But what is the use of boiled carrots?
When cooking, part of the vitamins disappears. For example, heat treatment almost completely destroys vitamin C. However, the fact that carrots do not lose their orange color means that even after cooking, it still contains a lot of vitamin A. For a daily norm of this vitamin, it’s enough to eat 30 grams.
Benefits of boiled carrots:
● calorie content of only 35 grams, which makes it an indispensable product when dieting;
● the amount of antioxidants in boiled carrots is 35% higher than in raw carrots. Thus, it is boiled carrot that is a more effective method for combating aging processes and cancer cells;
● Raw carrots contain more fiber than boiled. Therefore, boiled carrots are easier to digest and are recommended for those who have digestive problems;
● in this form, even very young children or elderly people who can’t bite can eat vegetables.
What diseases is boiled carrot useful for:
● vitamin deficiency. Although over time, carrots lose some of the vitamins, however, in the spring it contains them much more than in any other vegetables;
● Carrots cleanse blood vessels, lower cholesterol and prevent blood clots. Therefore, it is worth using it to people suffering from diseases of the vessels and heart;
● The antioxidant properties of boiled carrots are very useful in preventing senile diseases such as Alzheimer's or dementia;
● stimulates the active work of the brain, which is useful for special mental stress;
● Vitamin A in the composition improves vision and has a positive effect on eye health;
● the same vitamin helps fight skin diseases and acne;
● the amount of iodine and iron does not decrease during heat treatment. Therefore, carrots can and should be consumed in case of anemia and thyroid disease;
● boiled carrots are recommended for people with gastrointestinal diseases and even with stomach ulcers.
Boiled carrots are successfully used in cosmetology. Just add a little boiled vegetable to the cream. The high content of vitamin A and B tightens the skin, stimulates the production of collagen, nourishes and smoothes fine wrinkles.
Harm cooked carrots
The sugar content in carrots can reach 15% and practically do not change during heat treatment. Therefore, carrots are not recommended for people with diabetes.
Although carrots are a low-calorie product, they should not be carried away by losing weight. During cooking in carrots, the amount of carbohydrates increases sharply. Therefore, it is better to use it in the morning so that the body has time to break down complex carbohydrates and a large amount of sugar. But in the evening you should not add it to food.
You can’t eat carrots in any form to people allergic to this product.
Like any other vegetable, carrots can cause side effects if consumed excessively. If you experience drowsiness, headache, vomiting, or diarrhea, it is best to stop eating carrots.
In case of an overdose, an orange tint of the skin, especially the palms, may appear. In this case, you also need to remove the carrots for a while from the diet.
Do not eat more than 250 grams of carrots per day.
How to choose and cook carrots
Better to choose:
● fruits of the same size;
● without thick tops, otherwise the fruit may be too stiff;
● carrots should be bright orange;
● small fruits contain many vitamins. Carrots over 150 grams may contain an excessive amount of nitrates;
● elastic fruits. Carrots should not be soft, this indicates improper storage. The product either wilted - lost all moisture, or began to rot;
● without cracks and breaks;
● without growths, with a smooth smooth skin.
The amount of healthy vitamins does not depend on the shape of the carrot. But color can tell about its characteristics. The brighter the color, the more juice in the vegetable.
Store carrots in a cool, dry place. Do not store it in a plastic bag, there it will suffocate and begin to rot. The best option is to put it in a box with onion peel - it will prevent damage to the vegetable.
How to cook carrots to preserve useful properties:
● wash the vegetable thoroughly;
● Do not peel the vegetable before cooking, do not cut into pieces or cut the tail. The more remove the "protective layer" the more nutrients will go into the water;
● pour cold water on two centimeters covering vegetables;
● it is better to salt after readiness;
● Cook over low heat with the lid closed. The closed space will not allow boiling up useful substances;
In order to quickly bring vegetables to readiness, you can fill them with cold water. A sharp temperature drop will help them prepare a little earlier.
In order to assimilate the iron contained in the carrot, it is better to use it together with beetroot. In itself, it does not have a strong effect.
But for the absorption of vitamin A, fats are needed. Since in its pure form in carrots there is practically no fat, it is recommended to add vegetable oil or sour cream.
Carrot is an excellent natural remedy. And its use in a cooked form makes it possible to feel its beneficial properties for people with chronic diseases.
