Carrots: health benefits and harms

Carrot is one of the basic vegetables on our table due to its healthy composition and fragrant aroma, which makes dishes especially delicious. Carrots are universal: they are boiled and fried for first courses, marinated as an appetizer, and used fresh and boiled in salads. Carrot extract serves as a harmless food coloring and is used even for medicinal purposes. What is the benefit of the orange guest of our kitchen, and are there any contraindications to its use - we will consider further.

Types of Carrots

Carrot in the form in which it is known to us today, was brought out by hardworking breeders who worked for a long time to improve the nutritional qualities of the vegetable. Initially, carrots were represented by purple, almost tasteless rhizomes, whose homeland is considered Afghanistan. Today, we all know the juicy and sweet orange beauty, rich in vitamins and minerals, which was obtained in the Netherlands through a long scientific work.

White carrot is also found, but only its golden varieties saturated with carotene and other useful microcomponents are consumed. Among the varieties of carrots come across sweet and juicy, which become an excellent base for fresh and salads, as well as meaty subspecies, which make excellent mashed potatoes for baby food and not only.

It is difficult to find wild carrots in free sale. It is distinguished by a pronounced aroma and rigidity of root crops. Sweet, in all its diversity, is found on store shelves in almost any corner of the world. The plant is unpretentious and takes root in any climate, which allows you to not only buy it in markets and shops, but also grow it yourself on your own beds.

Composition and calorie content

Orange vegetable is considered one of the low-calorie diet foods. For 100 g of mass, it contains only 30–40 kcal, depending on the variety. A boiled carrot "weighs" in energy and even less - 24–26 kcal.

There are practically no fats in the product, up to 1.5 g of proteins and about 7 g of carbohydrates. Carrots are also rich in valuable dietary fiber, which is well processed by the body and helps to cleanse.

In addition, carrots are valuable for their vitamin and mineral composition. It contains all the micro and macro elements necessary for the body, the most necessary of which are potassium, magnesium and sodium, phosphorus and calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, fluorine. Root crops contain valuable compounds for the body - lycopene and anthocyanins, useful for regulating pressure, B vitamins in almost full composition, vitamins A, C, E, K, P, as well as volatile, pectin and other substances necessary for the body.

At the same time, nutritionists warn that the root crop is one of those vegetables that provoke an increase in blood sugar.Fortunately, these jumps are insignificant, therefore, people with diabetes should not only eat vegetables, but also need them. But those who follow a diet should be careful - it arouses appetite, and you need to eat it according to certain rules.

Many vitamins in the composition of the orange root are fat-soluble, so it is advisable to eat carrots with fat dressing. With the proper preparation of the diet, this will not prevent you from following a diet for weight loss.

What is useful carrots

General benefit

The beneficial properties of carrots mainly rest on the presence of carotenoids and other microcomponents. She is:

1. Increases immunity and body resistance.
2. It improves overall well-being, helps to cope with vitamin deficiency, gain strength and energy, improves mental activity.
3. It stabilizes mood, improves the electrical conductivity of the nerves and the state of the brain, normalizes cerebral blood flow and protects against strokes.
4. It removes inflammatory processes, accelerates cell regeneration and healing, improves the condition of mucous membranes and increases tissue elasticity.
5. Helps maintain water balance in the body, nourishes the skin, eliminates acne and early wrinkles, and improves complexion.
6. Strengthens hair and nails, helps in the fight against dandruff, prevents brittleness and returns a healthy glow and elasticity.
7. It helps to remove excess fluid from the body, has a mild laxative effect for constipation and normalizes stool.
8. Helps the absorption of vitamins to strengthen the musculoskeletal system.
9. Improves eyesight.
10. Helps strengthen and restore the body after illness, prolonged cold weather.
11. Supports blood and vascular health.
12. Stimulates good appetite and normal digestion, supports liver health.
13. It helps to cleanse the intestines of toxins, removes toxins, has an antioxidant effect and thus contributes to weight loss.

Carrots are used as a supportive agent for acute respiratory viral infections, respiratory tract diseases, and urogenital system inflammation. Although the product is not a panacea for ailments, since you need to use it in combination with more effective means, it saturates the body with resources for recovery and speeds up its process.

Carrots charge the body with a supply of vitamin A for 2 days. It is enough to eat about 50 g of carrots per day regularly to feel strong, alert and healthy. At the same time, the product is optimal in the daily diet of healthy people, on diets for weight loss and on special “clinical tables”. Carrots have a beneficial effect on the children's, male and female body and are not contraindicated in the elderly.

For women

The female half of the population appreciates carrots for its low calorie content, which helps to maintain harmony, as well as antioxidant properties and tremendous benefits for skin care. Carrot promotes rapid regeneration and rejuvenation of cells, slows down the aging process and prevents wrinkles from forming, perfectly strengthens hair and nails.

At the same time, carrots normalize the stool, provides a feeling of satiety due to coarse fiber. If you properly draw up a diet with the use of a product, you can effectively cleanse and restore the body, lose extra pounds without losing energy, and refresh your appearance after winter and during severe stresses.

Carrot protects blood vessels and is an excellent prophylactic for varicose veins, from which the female legs most often suffer. In addition, scientists are studying its antitumor effect.

For men

Carrot is an excellent stimulant and anti-inflammatory that protects the body from destruction, including the prevention of prostate diseases and supports a healthy potency.

Eating carrots can protect against stress, hair loss, rashes, and dandruff, which men are sometimes prone to.A vegetable strengthens blood vessels and heart, increasing their endurance, therefore it is useful for preventing the development of hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart attacks and other disorders.

During pregnancy

For women who are expecting a baby, a vegetable is needed to saturate the body with vitamins, prepare for bearing and form a healthy fetus. Vitamins A, E and group B contribute to the laying of all types of tissues, and in combination with other components of the vegetable provide an immunomodulatory effect.

Also, the vegetable protects against the development of anemia, promotes the timely removal of fluid, preventing the formation of edema, prevents the occurrence of constipation, and helps to establish digestion. Carrots are useful for maintaining the nervous system and hormonal balance during pregnancy.

Experts say that the vegetable should be administered in neutral amounts, without arranging a “carrot diet”, since hypervitaminosis - a supersaturation with useful components - is no less dangerous for the body than their lack.

When breastfeeding

A set of useful elements in carrots stimulates the production of tasty and healthy milk, therefore, during lactation, the product in the diet is approved. It is not necessary to specifically increase its amount, it is enough to use the usual doses to feel good and not harm the child.

Also, pediatricians note that carrots can cause allergic reactions in a tender children's body. Therefore, it is worth careful to ensure that the child does not have a rash from the fortified product.

For kids

Carrot is definitely needed in the children's diet. It establishes digestion and a good appetite, promotes the speedy healing of abrasions, in adolescents - the elimination of acne. Such a component is important for fast and proper growth, development of bones, muscles and internal organs, a speedy recovery from colds and other ailments.

In adolescence, eating carrots will help to cope with increased photosensitivity, to avoid the development of anemia.

The product is introduced in the form of processed boiled mashed potatoes already at the age of six months in a mixture with other vegetable mousses. Be sure to monitor the reaction of the child's body and reduce portions or temporarily eliminate carrots when allergies occur.

Children are given carrot juice, mashed potatoes or steam carrots, later - after 5 years - fresh salads, stews, fried product, desserts. After 8 years, you can treat your children with Korean carrots if you wish.

In what form is carrot healthier

With various features of the state of health, carrots may be more acceptable in one form or another. Consider a few basic ways of processing it.

Raw

In raw carrots, most of the vitamins and nutrients remain, so the vegetable is most valuable to the body. But there are reservations. For example, carrots have very coarse fiber, which when raw can be difficult for a sensitive digestive system. Therefore, in raw form, it is useful to obtain juice from the root crop, but for consumption it is better to boil or stew it.

Boiled

In the process of cooking, carrots lose some of the valuable vitamins and compounds: some break down at high temperature, some are boiled into the broth. It is much more useful to cook carrot soup, that is, cut it into slices and prepare a fragrant broth with onions, celery, bay leaf and other useful ingredients.

For salads and appetizers, carrots are best steamed - then the nutrients will remain in the vegetable, and the taste effect and softness will be the same as when cooking.

Baked

Carrots contain a high concentration of vitamin A and its "counterparts" of the fat-soluble type. This means that for the assimilation of a vegetable, oil or at least dairy products are necessary. Therefore, even dietary treatment requires the addition of fats.

You can and should bake carrots - this way it retains more useful ingredients, but it is advisable to lubricate it with oil or sour cream sauce before processing.You can bake both in a peel - after that it is easy to clean, and in a previously prepared form.

You can also fry carrots. To keep it as useful as possible, it is best to add a minimum of oil.

Dried

Enough vitamins are stored in the dried product, so it is considered a valuable food component. To preserve fragrant slices for longer, carrots are dried and added to soups, pilaf, potatoes and other dishes.

You can freeze the product - while carrots almost do not lose vitamins. In stores, you can often find healthy mixed vegetables in the freeze. To prepare such a mixture or only carrots - slices, cubes or sticks - you can do it yourself.

What is better to eat carrots

In order for all the components of the vegetable to be absorbed, nutritionists recommend consuming it with fats, while building a balanced diet with the addition of proteins and healthy carbohydrates to carrots. A mixture with peas or asparagus beans is considered useful, and carrots are often combined with different types of cabbage.

To diversify fatty additives, boiled, baked or steamed carrots are served with hummus, nut paste or cream creams. In addition, the vegetable is an ideal side dish for meat, fish and mushrooms. All lovers of unusual combinations can safely combine vegetables with fruits in salads, pastries and desserts.

With sour cream

One of the ideal companions for carrots is sour cream sauce. Animal fat promotes the absorption of vitamins from carrots, and it in turn helps to absorb calcium and form vitamin D. A dairy product normalizes the internal microflora and, in combination with a “brush” of fiber, effectively improves digestion and establishes a natural biological regime in the body.

Root vegetables with sour cream can be prepared in the form of a dessert cake, casseroles, combined in pancakes with vegetable filling or served carrot cutlets. You can also season any salad with creamy sauce.

With milk

Carrots with milk interact in the same way as with sour cream, helping to strengthen bones, relieve inflammation, and treat colds. For children, such a cocktail is good for growth, and for adults - for maintaining strong immunity.

You can combine the products in different ways: boil the mixture until pastilles form, mix fresh with milk to get a tasty drink, make creams for desserts and fragrant salty sauces for fish, meat and vegetables.

Those who follow diets with a reduced level of fat in the diet, milk will help to absorb vitamins from a healthy vegetable.

With honey

Carrots with honey are incredibly useful for maintaining skin tone and cleansing. Honey helps pull toxins and salts out of the body, and carrots help rejuvenate. Regular use of root vegetables with honey will make the skin soft, tighten pores, and help in the fight against cellulite and excess weight.

This mixture is used not only in nutrition, but also as a mask for the face, neck, chest and arms. It has a tightening effect and refreshes the epithelium.

With garlic

Carrot salads with the addition of garlic are another protective product that helps fight viruses, remove parasites, heal inflammations and restore skin health, increasing its elasticity and smoothing the epithelium.

The combination of zinc and vitamin A actively fights against peeling, dandruff and normalizes the sebaceous glands. The same cocktail enhances masculine strength, contributing to the development of a healthy seed and preventing prostate diseases.

Such a mixture can not only be used as a flavorful snack, but also used as a disinfecting healing compress.

With sugar

Carrots with sugar can be useful to children for active growth. Juice, puree or grated carrots are mixed with other vegetables and fruits, adding sugar for taste. However, nutritionists still recommend giving up sugar so as not to provoke surges in glucose in the blood.

To use stewed carrots as a filling in sweet buns or for making carrot desserts, it is recommended to choose fructose or honey, and in salads to abandon sweeteners in favor of fruits.

With apple

The classic salad "from childhood" - carrots with apples - this is the first dish to normalize the intestines. A gentle apple flesh balances the coarse fibers of fresh carrots. The products gently massage the intestinal walls, stimulating blood flow and improving peristalsis, and in addition, remove toxins and collect all toxins.

Apple with carrots - a cocktail to normalize blood composition, fight high cholesterol, anemia. This salad is sometimes recommended for dessert with diabetes. The dish is convenient to prepare, it can be eaten raw or stewed for sweet stew and toppings for baking.

The benefits of carrot tops

For several centuries carrot tops have been used in folk medicine and cosmetology as a healing, anti-inflammatory and diuretic. Broths on carrot tops cleanse blood vessels and restore liver health, strengthen hair, preparing rinses and shampoos. The product perfectly heals acne, saturates it with moisture, smoothes wrinkles.

In addition, carrot leaves can be eaten. Young herbs are sometimes added to salads and soups, but because of the specific taste of the leaves, they are most often salted. Carrot leaf is not less rich in vitamins than root vegetables, but it also contains less sugar, and is also softer in terms of dietary fiber. Therefore, the leaves are eaten to establish digestion and cleanse the intestines. Also, carrot greens are considered a useful product for diabetes.

Carrot juice: benefits and harms

Carrot juice is pleasant in that it can be combined with both vegetable and fruit components. It is rich in vitamins and comes in handy in cases where you can not eat coarse fiber. You need to take into account the acid that carrot juice has, and drink it with milk or kefir in the morning or at lunch and afternoon snack (after or during meals).

Fresh carrots are drunk to restore the body after colds and debilitating diseases, rejuvenating and improving the condition of the skin. Nutritionists consider the best combination of carrots with onions and bell peppers, as well as apple, strawberry, apricot, mango juice without added sugar.

Among the obvious advantages of carrot juice are vitamins, digestion and treatment of inflammation. Of the minuses - a ban on eating on an empty stomach, an aggravation of feelings of hunger, which can be harmful to diabetics, as well as people on a diet for weight loss or as indicated by a doctor.

Can I eat carrots when losing weight

Diet carrots are a mixed product. On the one hand, this is a low-calorie treat that nourishes the body with vitamins, and on the other, a pectin-rich vegetable that stimulates appetite. Each organism reacts differently to carrots. In dietary nutrition, it is useful, but to lose weight effectively, you need to use it in moderation with protein foods.

At the same time, on a diet for weight loss it is better to resort to the use of steam or boiled carrots, since it has fewer calories and pectin, which means that such a product will not cause brutal hunger.

Carrots on a diet are important - it allows you to maintain a healthy complexion and hair quality, tighten the silhouette, remove all unnecessary from the body. Do not eat pickled carrots with spices on diets.

Carrot in medicine

Carrot juice and mashed potatoes are often used in dietetics to compile a diet for various diseases. A vegetable helps restore the body and nourishes it without any harm. First of all, it is an excellent tool for restoring healthy intestinal motility, improving vision and accelerating recovery.

Carrot components are used in the manufacture of medicines.Basically, these are diuretics, as well as drugs to improve vision and maintain vascular health.

With diabetes

Carrots are useful for high sugar when there are complications on the skin and eyesight. Vegetable is great for moisturizing and increasing tissue elasticity. At the same time, for some people, carrots help them to feel full longer and not to think about food. You need to be attentive to your body: if carrots cause jumps in sugar and arouse constant hunger, it is better to refuse a vegetable.

Important: the glycemic index of raw carrots is 35 units, boiled from 75 to 85.

With pancreatitis

Vegetable purees are one of the few dishes with which you can support the body in case of illness. The main thing is not to eat hard foods, and dilute carrots with unsweetened components, then it will help relieve inflammation.

With gastritis

With irritation of the mucosa, it is important to pay attention to the acidity and softness of the food. In this case, you can’t eat fresh carrots on an empty stomach, but you can safely eat a boiled dietary fruit - it will contribute to the healing and normalization of the work of internal organs.

For the intestines

Carrots perfectly cleanse the intestines from processed products, normalizing absorption, as coarse fiber tends to swell, creating a feeling of satiety. The vegetable is able to remove toxins, eliminate gases. In some cases, carrots can cause gas formation, so you need to monitor your well-being.

For constipation

Carrots can have a mild laxative effect, remove undigested protein from the intestines. But with severe constipation, excess fiber can harm. Carrots are introduced into the diet along with a course of enemas to normalize stool after getting rid of constipation.

With gout

Since the root crop does not contain purines, but helps to remove excess fluid from the body, with gout it is recommended to drink fresh carrot juice. The vegetable increases the elasticity and endurance of tissues, protects the heart and removes harmful substances from the body.

With colitis

If the intestinal mucosa is damaged, it cannot be irritated with coarse fiber, so carrots in such cases are used in boiled or baked form, as well as as mashed potatoes. Then it will help restore health faster. For serious forms of the disease, you should consult your doctor before introducing the product into the diet.

For the liver

Carrots stimulate the liver and gall bladder, cleansing them. Moreover, vitamin A and other components of carrots contribute to cell renewal, which is important for maintaining the health of the filtering organ. But you can’t overdo it. So, experts do not recommend mono-diets on carrot juice, but insist on a balanced diet.

With hemorrhoids

Carrots establish local blood circulation, have an antimicrobial effect, and also helps to heal and relieve inflammation, so the use of vitamin A is necessary to cure hemorrhoids. In addition, carrots help regulate the stool, eliminating constipation, which often cause hemorrhoids.

With cholecystitis

People suffering from acute forms of certain diseases need a preliminary consultation with a doctor to get individual recommendations on the use of products of interest. With a chronic disease, carrots are not contraindicated, but since the vegetable must be consumed with fats, this can cause difficulties with cholecystitis.

Traditional carrot recipes

All parts of the vegetable are good for your health. If a person eats root vegetables and carrot leaves, receiving healing elements from them, then a therapeutic powder is prepared from the seeds, which saves with kidney failure and stone formation.

1. To cure the excretory system, carrot grains are ground into flour and take such a potion with food 3 times a day for 1/2 tsp. (1 g). Carrots relieve inflammatory processes and helps to remove residual products from the body.
2. To maintain the immune system, you can make unusual carrot tea. To do this, fresh carrots are crushed on a coarse grater, and the resulting chips are dried in the oven. After this, the raw materials can be ground in a coffee grinder for convenience. To make tea, 1 tsp. such raw materials are bred in a glass of boiling water. For taste, add a little honey and milk or lemon juice. If you drink this tea for 1-2 cups a day in the cold season, you can significantly support the body in the fight against viruses and colds.
3. For good digestion, protection against gastrointestinal tract disorders, constipation and slagging, fructose jam is made from carrots and consumed regularly. In a couple of weeks of taking such an additive, you can significantly improve well-being, normalize stool and appetite.
4. To heal burns and abrasions, you can cook pulp from carrot pulp with the addition of vegetable oil. Compress is applied to the problem area and covered with gauze, hold it until dry - up to 2 hours. The procedure is repeated several times until the skin condition improves.
5. With angina and respiratory tract diseases, 100 ml of carrot fresh with 1 tsp are used to thin the sputum, relieve inflammation and restore the normal state of the mucosa. honey, diluting the mixture with milk. It is advisable for children to divide the portion into 2-3 receptions.

Carrot in cosmetology

Carrots heal the body not only from the inside, but also can refresh and rejuvenate the skin externally. Masks and hair balms with vegetables are prepared very simply.

For face

1. Dry skin can be saturated with moisture and vitamins using a carrot mask. For this, the egg yolk is mixed with finely grated vegetable, without squeezing the juice. The mask is applied in a thick layer and incubated for about 20-25 minutes. To obtain a noticeable result, you need 2-3 procedures.
2. To get rid of peeling in the windy season and protect the skin from the sun in the summer - it is rejuvenated and nourished in this way: 1 tsp. carrot juice is mixed in equal proportions with fat cottage cheese and cream. The mixture is kept on the face for 15 minutes, after which it is washed off with warm water. The mask should be done with a course of up to 8 procedures 2 times a week.
3. To tighten aging skin, including on the hands, chest and neck, carrot pulp is mixed in equal proportions with honey and applied to the body with gentle movements from the bottom up. Enough 20-30 minutes to get the effect. The procedure is repeated 4-6 times with a frequency of twice a week.
4. Such a recipe is suitable for oily skin care: white clay is mixed with carrot juice, and a mixture of sour cream consistency should be obtained. The composition is kept on the face for about 15 minutes and washed off. The course is 1-2 times in 7 days for 1 month, then you can take a break for 2-3 weeks.

For hair

1. To saturate the hair with moisture, give it elasticity and shine, carrot seed oil is injected into the shampoo - 2 drops per serving. It does not leave greasy marks or an unpleasant odor on the hair, supports their health.
2. You can make a nourishing mask for dandruff and for accelerated growth. For this, 3-5 drops of carrot seed oil, 2 tablespoons are added to 10 ml of burdock oil. kefir and 2-3 drops of tea tree oil. The mixture kills the fungus, refreshes the skin, warms and supplies blood to the bulbs, so that strong healthy hair grows, and the scalp remains moisturized and whole.
3. To normalize the sebaceous glands of the head, in 1 tsp. 2-3 drops of grapefruit or bergamot oil are added to carrot juice and rubbed into the hair roots half an hour before normal washing. The procedure should be repeated 2–4 times before each wash, then take a break and return to the lotion periodically if necessary.

Harm and contraindications

For all its benefits, carrots also have a few warnings for use:

1. You can not consume more than 300 g per day so that there is no upset stomach or intestines due to excess fiber.
2. An overdose of the necessary vitamins can lead to a painful condition, so you should not get involved in carrots in excess of the norm.
3. Caution should be taken during periods of exacerbation of allergies - in the spring.
4. Carrots can be harmful to people with high acidity, gastritis, colitis, gall bladder diseases and, in some cases, diabetes. About an individual diet, you need to talk with your doctor.

Symptoms of a Carrot Allergy

Allergic reactions to carrots most often occur in the form of skin rashes, itching, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and swelling. The malaise may be similar to spring conditions of hypovitaminosis and allergies to flowering plants.

Do not give the product to children if they persistently refuse it.

How to choose and store carrots

To keep the product fresh for a long time, it is important to pay attention to its quality when buying. Root crops must be cleaned from the ground, have a dry surface without damage or traces of mold. Good carrots are sold “with tails” - cuttings from the tops, so that it does not dry out at the base.

Varieties with a rounded nose, as a rule, are sweeter and have a characteristic “quartz” flavor. Triangular in cross section carrots are more acidic, sometimes tasteless. But a lot of juice comes out of it, it contains valuable fibers.

Store carrots in a cellar or refrigerator, in a container for vegetables at a temperature of + 2–5 ° C for up to several months. If a carrot begins to dry out or germinate, there are several ways to extend its life:

• freeze (but this is advisable to do while the vegetable is still fresh);
• dry to get aromatic seasoning for hot dishes;
• marinate with the addition of fragrant spices.

Salted or pickled carrots according to Eastern recipes can be rolled up in jars for long-term storage.

Is it possible to freeze

To preserve vitamins, the vegetable is often sent to the freezer. Of course, it should be preliminarily processed - it is well washed, cleaned, cut into slices, straws or cubes. Then it is spread on a sheet of film or on a tray, kept in the chamber until completely frozen, the field of which is poured into a convenient bag or container and stored for up to six months.

What can be cooked from carrots: recipes

Delicious vegetable is not in vain has become one of the main on our tables. The whole point is not only in its availability, but also in the universal sweet taste and spicy aroma that adorns many dishes.

Salads

Carrot salads are so diverse that you can write a whole book. Recall some delicious recipes for all occasions.

Fresh salad "Strength"
For cooking, you will need lettuce, spinach, fresh carrots, cucumber, red cabbage. All components are cut into strips and seasoned with a special sauce. It goes 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tsp mustard, a few drops of honey to taste. Also, for nutrition, pine nuts can be added to the salad.

Snack "Late Autumn"
In cold weather, when the body begins to miss vitamins and fiber, they prepare such a salad: take in equal proportions the steamed green beans and Korean carrots (or also steamed), add pickled cucumber. You can fill the salad with olive oil. Optionally add fried onions.

Chinese chic salad
Except for carrots, it reminds of China in a salad, but the recipe is interesting. Take 250 g of boiled beef or other dark meat, add 150 g of boiled beans, 150 g of grated carrots, 50 g of crushed walnut. Some housewives traditionally add eggs and potatoes to the salad in convenient proportions.

It is accepted to grease the appetizer with mayonnaise, but it will be tasty with regular oil. The dish will warm perfectly on a cold day after hard work.

Smoothie

Not everyone loves carrot juice. To enjoy a healthy product, you can add it to your smoothie. Here are some delicious recipes:

1. "Tropical Paradise." Take 150 ml of orange juice as a base, chop in a blender 1 mango, 1 carrot, banana, 2-3 tbsp. Greek yogurt. You can add passion fruit and honey to taste. All mixed and, if desired, diluted with ice.
2. "Health". Take 2 inflorescences of steamed broccoli and carrots, add a celery stalk, parsley and a bunch of spinach to taste. Smoothies can be made on water or kefir.
3. "Honey Summer." Take 2-3 slices of melon and 1 large carrot, add guava or feijoa for flavor, ice, as a basis you can take low-fat yogurt, apricot juice or a glass of cucumber or white grape juice.

Carrots are good as mashed smoothies, but you can also use carrot juice as a base ingredient.

Juice

Preparing carrot juice is simple: just wash and peel the vegetable thoroughly, cut it into convenient cubes and place in a juicer. Another option is to pass the pieces through a meat grinder or grind in a blender, and then filter the liquid through cheesecloth.

Cooked carrot juice is less aggressive, so it is recommended for those who suffer from gastritis, colitis and other gastrointestinal diseases. You can boil freshly squeezed raw materials with milk, sugar or in pure form. Custard carrot juice loses part of the acid, has less effect on appetite and does not cause boiling in the intestines. At the same time, its vitamins and beneficial compounds are simplified and better absorbed by the body. Such a component can be added to compotes and fruit drinks and can be safely closed for the winter.

Carrot chips

Want to make a healthy and nutritious snack? The best option is carrot chips. There are two options - dietary and bold.

In the first case, peeled raw carrots are cut into thin slices and dried in the oven, stirring occasionally. Ready-made chips are stored for a long time and become a good low-calorie snack. They can be crushed with salt, dried garlic, coriander, turmeric or other favorite seasonings. Eat them best with kefir or for a snack after a fatty meal.

The second recipe is carrot fries. The mugs or straws are fried in boiling oil, after cooking, crush with salt and herbs, spread on parchment paper or paper towels to remove excess oil. A dried snack is served with beer, kvass, kefir or as a side dish for any dishes.

Korean carrots

The main rule of pickled carrots is no harmful preservatives. Therefore, it is better to abandon table vinegar in favor of lemon juice or apple counterpart. Marinade can be brought in the usual way. Another option is to grind carrots on a grater to make "strings", sprinkle them with salt - generously, but to a reasonable extent, to taste, add black pepper, very little red and pour everything with acid, squeezing a lemon or lime. If desired, you can take cranberry juice, apple cider vinegar.

A pinch of sugar is added to the marinade - just a little so that it does not feel in the recipe. Salt can be replaced with soy sauce. Even in Korean carrots, you can add spices to taste - coriander, cloves, ginger, rosemary.

Carrots soaked in acid should stand for a while. The degree of readiness is determined by the proportions of spices and the "caliber" of raw materials. You can check the readiness for taste - the carrot will become harsh, a little less hard and will put in a lot of juice that is not decanted until the snack is eaten. Store the dish only in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a tightly closed container.

Carrot cutlets

An excellent lean dish can be prepared on the basis of carrots in several ways. The classic version is this:

• 500 g of carrots;
• 1 onion;
• 1 egg
• 1 clove of garlic (as much as possible, to taste);
• breadcrumbs and vegetable oil for frying;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Prepared vegetables are ground in a blender or on a grater.Stuffing should be uniform so that the patties are fried. The resulting mixture is salted, spices are added and the egg is driven in. Stuffing is mixed and small cakes-cutlets are formed, roll them in breadcrumbs and fry in a heated frying pan in oil. Served with sour cream and herbs.

Carrot caviar

A fragrant and very homemade dish is prepared to prepare carrots for the winter or to make a tasty snack at any time of the year. You need a minimum of components:

• 1.5 kg of carrots;
• 0.5 kg of onions;
• salt, pepper, coriander;
• vegetable oil;
• tomato paste or ketchup - 4 tbsp.

First, a whole carrot is washed and cooked until half cooked. At this time, fry the onion with salt until golden brown. Prepared carrots are peeled, ground on a grater or passed through a meat grinder. The resulting mass is added to the onion and fried for about 20 minutes, then coriander (generously, about 1 tablespoon) is introduced, spices, tomato, everything is thoroughly mixed and kept on fire for another 10-15 minutes.

The finished caviar is allowed to cool and stored in a closed jar. If you need to prepare a snack for the winter, they act the same way as with zucchini caviar or sauté: they sterilize jars and lids, and then roll up the product hot. Studying upside down under the covers.

How to cook carrots

To prepare carrots for salads and other dishes, sometimes it is boiled. To do this, the fruits must be thoroughly washed, placed in a deep saucepan and filled with water so that the liquid covers vegetables 2-3 cm.

After boiling water, make the fire small and cover the pan with a lid. After half an hour, carrots are pierced with a fork. In the state of semi-preparedness of vegetables, the broth is salted, bay leaf or cloves are added (if desired) and boiled for several minutes until completely cooked, when the carrots are soft.

Do not digest the fruits. They should be easily punctured, but remain tight and not fall apart under the pressure of the fork. Otherwise, the vegetable will not have useful components.

To get the broth for drinking, for soup or gravy, carrots are cleaned in advance, cut with medium cubes, so that it is better digested. Other vegetables are added - onions, potatoes, bay leaves, peas, salt (after boiling) - and cook until cooked. After this, the pulp can be obtained and used in salads or cream soups, and if necessary, strain the broth and add to medicinal potions or dishes.

Is it possible to eat carrots every day

Carrot is a healthy and safe vegetable. There is no urgent need to use it daily, but this is permissible. It is enough to eat about 50 g with other products. Overeating is not necessary, excess fiber can lead to flatulence and bloating, discomfort, heaviness, heartburn, or an aggravated feeling of hunger.

Can I eat at night and on an empty stomach

On an empty stomach, drinking juice or eating coarse raw, pickled carrots is not worth it, so that acid and heavy fiber do not spoil the mucous membrane and cause an influx of bile. Boiled carrots, especially in creamy sauce, can be eaten in the morning.

At night, eating carrots is not advisable, so as not to force the body to work with coarse fibers. Nevertheless, carrots for dinner are a good option in the diet. It will be quickly digested, will help cleanse the intestines and will not create problems.

Is it possible to give carrots to animals

Like humans, pets need healthy fiber for proper digestion. This applies not only to rabbits and hamsters, poultry, but also dogs and cats. Carrots are introduced into the pet's diet in moderation, 1-2 times a week is enough.

You can give chopped raw or boiled carrots, which will be well absorbed even by animals with troubled digestion. Tops can also be added to pet food to strengthen claws and coat. A vegetable is definitely worth chopping and add quite a bit of fat, for example, broth.

If the animal reacts to the product with an allergy, it is excluded from the diet, replacing it with another to obtain the necessary vitamins.

Interesting facts about carrots

1. The first carrot roots found were brown and bitter. Carrots underwent many changes over several centuries and became the way we know and love it.
2. With the constant use of the vegetable, the skin may turn yellow, and the tan will go smoother and more intense.
3. In ancient Greece, the fragrant leaves of carrots were used for medicinal purposes, not even suspecting the benefits of its root crops.
4. In the US there is the town of Holtville, which is considered the capital of carrots. A harvest festival is held there annually and quality vegetables are grown.
5. The largest carrots were grown in Britain. Its length reached almost 6 meters, thanks to which the vegetable fell into the Guinness Book of Records. It should be noted that most of the length was not a juicy fruit, but a carrot tail.
6. Not everyone knows, but carrot juice is sometimes used not only as a dye, but also as a flavoring to give the dishes an appetizing taste.

Easy to use, healthy and such a diverse vegetable, everyone can love it if you find delicious recipes with carrots for yourself. Cook with pleasure!

Photo carrots